Daily Archives: August 2, 2024

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – A Child’s Hope

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Bible in a Year :

Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them.

Luke 18:16

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Luke 18:15-17

When my granddaughter Eliana was just seven, she saw a video at her school about an orphanage in Guatemala. She told her mom, “We have to go there to help them.” Her mom replied that they would think about it when she was older.

Eliana never forgot, and, sure enough, when she was ten, her family went to help in the orphanage. Two years later, they went back, this time taking along a couple of other families from Eliana’s school. When Eliana was fifteen, she and her dad went again to Guatemala to serve.

We sometimes think the wishes and dreams of little children don’t carry the weight of adult hopes. But Scripture seems to make no such distinction. God calls children, as in the case of Samuel (1 Samuel 3:4). Jesus honors the faith of little ones (Luke 18:16-17). And Paul said younger believers shouldn’t let people discount them just because they “are young” (1 Timothy 4:12). So, we’re called to guide our children (Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Proverbs 22:6), recognizing that their faith is a model for us all (Matthew 18:3) and understanding that hindering them is something Christ warned against (Luke 18:15).

When we see a spark of hope in children, our job as adults is to help ignite it. And as God leads us, encourage them toward a life dedicated to trust in Jesus and service for Him.

By:  Dave Branon

Reflect & Pray

How can you encourage children to believe in Jesus? How can you help them grow in faith?

Dear heavenly Father, the children in our world need Christ. Please help me to encourage them to believe in You.

 

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – A Key to Emotional Health

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Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Colossians 3:13 (NIV)

I believe one reason many people live in emotional turmoil is that they refuse to forgive people who have hurt or wronged them. Whether we realize it or not, unforgiveness is often the root of negative feelings. Many people feel justified and think they have a right to refuse to forgive. They think they should hurt the people who hurt them. But this isn’t emotionally healthy or wise.

Very painful things can happen to us in life. Many times, the key to getting through them and being able to enjoy our lives in the future is learning to forgive what has happened in the past. I’m convinced that, as believers and followers of Christ, we will never experience joy-filled, victorious lives unless we forgive people.

Forgiveness is not a feeling; it’s a choice. We can choose to forgive someone whether we feel like it or not. We can even choose to forgive while we feel angry or hurt. Once we make the decision to forgive, our emotions eventually calm down. As we continue to walk in forgiveness, hurt and anger subside. We may not choose to restore our relationship with the person who hurt us, but forgiveness sets us free from negative feelings toward them and may eventually lead us to feel compassion for them. When we forgive people, we can bless them and pray for them, as Jesus teaches. As a result, we will be blessed too. We don’t know all the blessings that will come from forgiveness, but we do know it will lead to peace in our hearts and that it’s a key to emotional health.

Prayer of the Day: God, help me choose to forgive everyone who has hurt or wronged me, even when I don’t feel like forgiving them.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Jesus Christ Upon This Earth

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by Brian Thomas, Ph.D.

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.” (Job 19:25)

Many decry the injustices of partisan political decisions, revealing our longing for a country with perfect government. Good news—Scripture promises just such a situation. The Lamb of God will reign on Earth one day.

Abraham saw beyond God’s promises of earthly land (e.g., Genesis 15:18) and in faith “looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). The Lord bids us to keep this future in mind as we pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

And the Bible specifies where God will place His capital. “Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem” (Zechariah 8:3). “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east” (Zechariah 14:4). “But I say to you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King” (Matthew 5:34-35).

“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God” (Revelation 21:2-3). May our disappointment with our governments’ flaws remind us to anticipate with joy the return of our King to the earth that is His. BDT

 

 

 

 

https://www.icr.org/articles/type/6

My Utmost for His Highest

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers – The Discipline of Difficulty

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In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. — John 16:33

An average view of the Christian life is that it means deliverance from trouble. It is deliverance in trouble, which is very different. If you are a child of God, there certainly will be troubles to face. Jesus says not to be surprised when they come: “In this world you will have trouble.” But he also says that troubles are no match for him: “Take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Sometimes people who never wanted to complain or go on about their troubles before they were saved become frail in the face of trouble afterward. This happens because they had the wrong idea of what salvation meant. They thought it meant that God would allow them to triumph easily over all adversity. But God does not give us overcoming life; he gives us life as we overcome.

Are you asking God to give you life and liberty and joy? He cannot—not unless you also accept the strain. The strain is the strength. Where there is no strain, there is no strength.

Overcome your timidity. Take the step God is telling you to take, and he will nourish you: “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life” (Revelation 2:7). If you push yourself to your physical limits, you will become exhausted, but if you push yourself spiritually, you will get more strength. God never gives strength for tomorrow or for the next hour, only for the strain of the minute.

Face your troubles with courage and gladness, remembering that you have nothing to fear. The saint is filled with hilarity when crushed by difficulties, because the situation is so ludicrously impossible to anyone but God. “If you say, ‘The Lord is my refuge,’ and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you” (Psalm 91:9–10). No plague can come near the place where you are at one with God.

Psalms 60-62; Romans 5

 

 

 

Wisdom from Oswald

If there is only one strand of faith amongst all the corruption within us, God will take hold of that one strand. Not Knowing Whither, 888 L

 

 

https://utmost.org/

Billy Graham

Billy Graham – Demands of the Soul

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And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought . . .
—Isaiah 58:11

The soul demands as much attention as the body. It demands fellowship and communion with God. It demands worship, quietness, and meditation. Unless the soul is fed and exercised daily, it becomes weak and shriveled. It remains discontented, confused, restless. Many people turn to alcohol to try to drown the cryings and longings of the soul. Some turn to a new sex experience. Others attempt to quiet the longings of their souls in other ways. Nothing but God ever completely satisfies, because the soul is made for God, and without God it is restless and in secret torment. The first step to God is a realization of your spiritual poverty. The poor in spirit do not measure the worth of life in earthly possessions, which fade away, but in terms of eternal realities, which endure forever. Wise is the man who openly confesses his lack of spiritual wealth and in humility of heart cries, “God, be merciful unto me, a sinner.”

Revive your soul today. Cry out to God.

Listen to Billy Graham’s message about the value of your soul.

Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.

Prayer for the day

As I look to You, my Lord and my Redeemer, the strivings of my soul will be satisfied. You alone bring lasting joy.

 

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GuidePosts

Guideposts – Devotions for Women – Walk in His Great Light

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“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. For those who lived in a land of deep shadows—light! sunbursts of light!”—Isaiah 9:2 (MSG)

God is the bright pathway to fulfilling your deepest longings and His Word will fill your heart with His light. Have faith that even when it feels like you are walking in the dark, prayer and Scripture will show you the way forward. In turn, your faith-guided journey can help others find their own way out of the darkness.

Heavenly Father, help me shine Your glorious light on those around me.

 

 

https://guideposts.org/daily-devotions/devotions-for-women/devotions-for-faith-prayer-devotions-for-women/

Every Man Ministry

Every Man Ministry – Kenny Luck – He Saw

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Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  ––Colossians 3:12

Compassion is the simple difference between denying reality and embracing it. “He saw” is the headline of compassion in the life of Christ––eyes wide open. Wherever He went, He was willing to do what He could in the moment. Jesus would see people without food, empathize with their plight, and make provision to feed them. He would see grieving people, experience an internal reaction, and weep with them. He would see directionless people, react with compassion, and start teaching them.

By the life of Jesus we see that compassion means being responsible with the fragile realities around us. “Not my problem” was not in the vocabulary of Jesus, because the people around Him were a part of His reality. He commands us to follow the same path: “Then Jesus said to his host, ‘When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’” (Luke 14:12-14).

Compassion comes from seeing reality and not running from, denying, or hiding from it. Far from self-absorbed, Jesus was free to see reality and act. Some people and situations He could fix in the moment. Others would take a while. And still others would have to wait for His return. But that did not stop Him from acting.

If you are afraid of truth and reality, you will have a distant relationship with—and tepid expression of—compassion. We must ask ourselves, “Do I embrace reality and work with it, or do I rationalize and run from it?” In the answer to that question you will see a direct connection in your ability to act compassionately.

Father, may I see the needs around me; open my eyes to those who are hurting and give me the courage to act.

 

 

Every Man Ministries