Category Archives: Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Generous God

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Our Daily Bread

Ephesians 3:14-21

[God] is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. —Ephesians 3:20

When our family lived in Chicago several years ago, we enjoyed many benefits. Near the top of my list were the amazing restaurants that seemed to try to outdo each other, not only in great cuisine but also in portion sizes. At one Italian eatery, my wife and I would order a half portion of our favorite pasta dish and still have enough to bring home for dinner the next night! The generous portions made us feel like we were at Grandma’s house when she poured on the love through her cooking.

I also feel an outpouring of love when I read that my heavenly Father has lavished on us the riches of His grace (Eph. 1:7-8) and that He is able to do “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (3:20). I’m so grateful that our God is not a stingy God who begrudgingly dishes out His blessings in small portions. Rather, He is the God who pours out forgiveness for the prodigal (Luke 15), and He daily crowns us “with lovingkindness and tender mercies” (Ps. 103:4).

At times we think God hasn’t provided for us as we would like. But if He never did anything more than forgive our sins and guarantee heaven for us, He has already been abundantly generous! So today, let’s rejoice in our generous God. —Joe Stowell

Lord, remind me often that You have been exceedingly

generous to me. Help me to extend that generosity

of spirit toward those around me, so that they

may know who You are and rejoice in You.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 32-33; John 18:19-40

Insight

Today’s reading addresses the wellspring of spiritual power in the Christian life. Certainly, human willpower or adopting a positive mental attitude is not the source of this spiritual power. Instead, the apostle Paul points us to the reality of the indwelling Christ. But the indwelling of the Spirit of Christ alone does not change the believer’s life. Choosing to yield to the Spirit’s promptings and meditating on God’s Word give the believer power for living. An attitude of faith and expectation in prayer access vast resources available in God, “who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Eph. 3:20).

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Lesson From A Toothache

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Our Daily Bread

Hebrews 12:3-11

If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons. —Hebrews 12:7

When I was a child I often had a toothache,” wrote C. S. Lewis in his classic book Mere Christianity. He continued, “and I knew that if I went to my mother she would give me something that would deaden the pain for that night and let me get to sleep. But I did not go to my mother—at least not till the pain became very bad. . . . I knew she would take me to the dentist the next morning. . . .  I wanted immediate relief from pain, but I could not get it without having my teeth set permanently right.”

Similarly, we might not always want to go to God right away when we have a problem or are struggling in a certain area. We know that He could provide immediate relief from our pain, but He is more concerned with dealing with the root of the problem. We may be afraid that He will reveal issues that we are unprepared or unwilling to deal with.

In times like these, it is helpful to remind ourselves that the Lord “deals with [us] as with sons” (Heb. 12:7). His discipline, though perhaps painful, is wise, and His touch is loving. He loves us too much to let us remain as we are; He wants to conform us to the likeness of His Son, Jesus (Rom. 8:29). God’s purposes of love can be trusted more than any of our emotions of fear. —Poh Fang Chia

Thank You, Lord, for showing me my hidden

faults, for You treat me as Your dear child.

Help me surrender to Your cleansing work

till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.

God’s hand of discipline is a hand of love.

Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 30-31; John 18:1-18

Insight

A constant refrain in Scripture is that God chastens and that such discipline is evidence of His love and a prerequisite of our sonship (Deut. 8:5; 2 Sam. 7:14; Job 5:17-18; Ps. 89:30-33; Prov. 3:12; Heb. 12:5-8). But God’s discipline is much more than just rebuke and punishment. It includes nurture, instruction, and training in holiness and righteousness (12:10-11).

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — D-Day

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Joshua 24:2,13-18

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

Recently I asked my older sister, Mary Ann, if she remembered when our family moved into the house where we lived for many years. She replied, “You were about 9 months old, and I remember that Mother and Daddy stayed up all night packing boxes and listening to the radio. It was June 6, 1944, and they were listening to live coverage of the Normandy Invasion.”

Today marks the 70th anniversary of what has become known as D-Day—a military term for the day on which a planned operation will begin. Over the years, D-Day has also come to mean a moment of decision or commitment in our personal lives.

At one point in ancient Israel, their leader Joshua, now an old man, challenged the people to another kind of D-Day. After years of struggle to possess their inheritance in the land God had promised them, Joshua urged them to faithfully serve the One who had been so faithful to them (Josh. 24). “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,” he said. “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (v.15).

The day we decide to follow the Savior is the greatest turning point in our life. And each day after, we can joyfully renew our commitment to serve Him. —David McCasland

Lord, what a privilege it is to say “yes” to You each day.

Thank You for loving me and forgiving me.

Guide me in all my choices today and

help me to serve You faithfully.

Life’s biggest decision is what you do with Jesus.

Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 25-27; John 16

Insight

Joshua 22–24 records Joshua’s speech to the Israelites as they begin to occupy the Promised Land. Reminding them that the land was God’s gift to them (24:13), Joshua urged the people not to worship their ancestral gods from Mesopotamia or the gods of the Egyptians and the Canaanites, but instead to fear and serve the Lord in sincerity and in truth (vv.14-15).

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Reframing The Picture

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Our Daily Bread

Deuteronomy 32:7-12

As an eagle stirs up its nest, . . . spreading out its wings, . . . so the LORD alone led [Jacob]. —Deuteronomy 32:11-12

For 3 months I had a ringside seat— or should I say a bird’s-eye view—of God’s amazing handiwork. Ninety feet above the floor of Norfolk Botanical Garden, workers installed a webcam focused on the nest of a family of bald eagles, and online viewers were allowed to watch.

When the eggs hatched, Mama and Papa Eagle were attentive to their offspring, taking turns hunting for food and guarding the nest. But one day when the eaglets still looked like fuzzballs with beaks, both parents disappeared. I worried that harm had come to them.

My concern was unfounded. The webcam operator enlarged the camera angle, and there was Mama Eagle perched on a nearby branch.

As I pondered this “reframed” picture, I thought of times when I have feared that God had abandoned me. The view in the forest heights of Virginia reminded me that my vision is limited. I see only a small part of the entire scene.

Moses used eagle imagery to describe God. As eagles carry their young, God carries His people (Deut. 32:11-12). Despite how it may seem, the Lord “is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27). This is true even when we feel abandoned. —Julie Ackerman Link

Under His wings I am safely abiding;

Though the night deepens and tempests are wild,

Still I can trust Him—I know He will keep me;

He has redeemed me and I am His child. —Cushing

Because the Lord is watching over us, we don’t have to fear the dangers around us.

Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 23-24; John 15

Insight

Today’s reading provides us with a wonderful template for instructing the next generation in the provision of God. The entire “Song of Moses” extends from Deuteronomy 31:30–32:43. In it we see praise given for the God of Israel in spite of the nation’s periodic lapse into disobedience. In His good providence, God created for Himself a chosen people whom He has both redeemed and preserves. This theme of divine love that will not let go is to be reiterated to each new generation so that God’s covenant people may continue in relationship with their Creator and Sustainer. We learn from the New Testament that through Christ’s atoning work on the cross, this covenant has been extended to all who believe (Rom. 5:6-11).

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Room and Board

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John 14:1-11

I go to prepare a place for you. —John 14:2

On a recent trip to England, my wife and I visited Anne Hathaway’s Cottage in Stratford-upon-Avon. The house is more than 400 years old, and it was the childhood and family home of William Shakespeare’s wife.

The tour guide drew our attention to a table made with wide boards. One side was used for eating meals and the other for chopping food. In English life, different expressions grew from this usage as the word board became associated with food, housing, honesty, and authority. An inn would offer “room and board”—that is, sleeping and eating accommodations. In taverns where customers played cards, they were told to keep their hands “above board” to make sure they weren’t cheating. And in the home, the father was given a special chair at the head of the table where he was called “chairman of the board.”

As I reflected on this, I thought about how Jesus is our “room and board.” He is our source of spiritual nourishment (John 6:35,54); He empowers us to live a life of integrity (14:21); He is our loving Master (Phil. 2:11); and He is even now preparing our eternal home. He promised: “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2; see also 14:1-4,23). His grace has provided our everlasting room and board. —Dennis Fisher

Christ meets our needs now and for eternity.

Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 21-22; John 14

Insight

John 13–17 records Jesus’ “farewell” speech, His last words to His disciples just hours before His crucifixion. Jesus spoke of humble and loving service (ch.13), of heaven (ch.14), of what it takes to be His disciple (ch.15), and of the Holy Spirit (chs.14,16). His speech culminated in a prayer for His disciples (ch.17).

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — The View from the End

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Deuteronomy 8:1-3, 11-16

All things work together for good to those who love God. —Romans 8:28

Over the course of one year, Richard LeMieux’s lucrative publishing business collapsed. Soon, his wealth disappeared, and he became depressed. Eventually, LeMieux began to abuse alcohol and his family deserted him. At the lowest point in his life, he was homeless, broken, and destitute. However, it was during this time that he turned to God. He later wrote a book about what he learned.

The Israelites learned some valuable spiritual lessons when God allowed them to endure homelessness, uncertainty, and danger. Their hardships humbled them (Deut. 8:1-18).

They learned that God would provide for their needs. When they were hungry, He gave them manna. When they were thirsty, He gave them water from a rock. God taught them that, despite difficult times, He could bless them (v.1). Finally, the Israelites learned that adversity is not a sign of abandonment. Moses reminded them that God had been leading throughout their 40 years in the wilderness (v.2).

When we encounter desperate times, we can look for the spiritual lessons embedded in our difficulties—lessons that can help us rely on the One who causes all things to work together for our good and for His glory (Rom. 8:28). —Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Dear God, please give me the faith

to believe that You can bring good out of

any situation. Help me to see what You

want to show me during adversity.

The clearest view of everything that happens comes from heaven.

Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 19-20; John 13:21-38

Insight

Remembering the hunger Israel experienced during their 40 years in the wilderness, Moses told them it was “to do you good in the end” (Deut. 8:16). What good? To “make you know that . . . man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD” (v.3). Some lessons are best learned through trials and understood in perspective.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — The Careful Walk

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Ephesians 5:1-17

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise. —Ephesians 5:15

One of my favorite places to visit in Jamaica is Ocho Rios, home of Dunn’s River Falls—a spectacle that never ceases to amaze. Water cascades down a long series of rocks as it makes its way to the Caribbean Sea. Adventurers can climb the falls, scrambling over rounded rocks on an invigorating trek to the top. The flowing water, the potentially slippery surface, and the steep angles make the going slow and a bit treacherous.

To make it safely to the top, climbers must watch every step. If a person is not careful, he or she could fall on the journey. The keys to a successful climb are concentration and caution.

I can’t think of a better picture of what Paul is saying in Ephesians 5:15 when he says, “walk circumspectly.” We should “be very careful . . . how [we] live” (NIV). Clearly, with all of life’s possible dangers coming our way as we climb through life, it is vital that we take each step with Jesus wisely and cautiously. A fool, the passage says, lives carelessly; a wise person watches each step so he does not stumble or fall.

Our goal of being “imitators of God” (v.1) is met, Paul says, as we walk carefully in love (vv.2,15). Through the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we can walk in a way that honors God. —Dave Branon

Consistency! How much we need

To walk a measured pace,

To live the life of which we speak,

Until we see Christ’s face. —Anon.

As we trust God to rule our hearts our feet can walk His way.

Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 17-18; John 13:1-20

 

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Our Daily Bread — Kangaroos and Emus

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Philippians 3:12-17

Forgetting those things which are behind . . . I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. —Philippians 3:13-14

Two of Australia’s indigenous creatures, kangaroos and emus, have something in common—they seldom move backward. Kangaroos, because of the shape of their body and the length of their strong tail, can bounce along with forward movement, but they cannot shift easily into reverse. Emus can run fast on their strong legs, but the joints in their knees seem to make backward movement difficult. Both animals appear on Australia’s coat of arms as a symbol that the nation is to be ever moving forward and making progress.

The apostle Paul called for a similar approach to the life of faith in his letter to the Philippians: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (3:13-14).

While it is wise to learn from the past, we shouldn’t live in the past. We cannot redo or undo the past, but by God’s grace we can press forward and serve God faithfully today and in the future. The life of faith is a journey forward as we become like Christ. —Bill Crowder

I’m pressing on the upward way,

New heights I’m gaining every day;

Still praying as I’m onward bound,

“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.” —Oatman

I will go anywhere—provided it is forward.

Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 15-16; John 12:27-50

Insight

Paul the apostle had an interesting writing style. One aspect of this is seen in Ephesians 1, where verses 3-10 form one long sentence. Another element of Paul’s novel approach is found in Philippians 3:13-14. Here Paul declares, “one thing I do”; then he goes on to list not one but three things! His one thing? Forgetting the things behind, reaching to the things ahead, and pressing toward the goal of the upward call of Christ. Though marked by Paul’s unique style, the wisdom of his words regarding spiritual priorities still rings true.

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Our Daily Bread Isaiah 1:1-4,12-18 Your sins . . . shall be as white as snow. —Isaiah 1:18 Iwas driving my son home from school one day when snow began to fall. The cottony fluff came down steadily and quickly. Eventually, we slowed to a stop, boxed in by traffic. From inside our vehicle, we watched a transformation take place. Dark patches of soil turned white. Snow softened the sharp outlines of buildings; it coated the cars around us, and accumulated on every tree in sight. That snowfall reminded me of a spiritual truth: Just as that snow covered everything in sight, God’s grace covers our sin. But grace doesn’t just cover sin, grace erases sin. Through the prophet Isaiah, God appealed to the Israelites, saying, “Come now, and let us reason together . . . though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isa. 1:18). When God made this promise, His children had a painful problem with sin. God compared them to a physical body plagued with “wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil” (v.6 niv). As bad as their sin was, God was willing to extend His grace to them. As His children today, we have the same assurance. Sin may stain our lives, but when we repent and confess it, we have “the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of [God’s] grace” (Eph. 1:7). —Jennifer Benson Schuldt Lord, give me courage to confess, To bare my sinful heart to Thee; Forgiving love You long to show And from my sin to set me free. —D. DeHaan The weight of sin is balanced only by the blood of Christ.

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Our Daily Bread — Jordyn’s Journey

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Philippians 4:10-13

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. —Philippians 4:13

Jordyn Castor was born blind. But this doesn’t hold her back from living a full and productive life. The documentary Can You See How I See? tells her story. She excels at school and with a little help she enjoys biking and downhill skiing.

Of her sight, Jordyn says: “If I could give my blindness back, I wouldn’t do it. I think God made all of us the way we are for a reason . . . and I think my blindness is part of what I am going to do with my life.” She is now a university student majoring in computer technology. Her dream is to assist in developing new computer software that will help the blind.

How can Jordyn maintain such a positive outlook on life? As a Christ-follower, she understands that God is in control of the circumstances of life. This gives her confidence to pursue opportunities that others might not have believed possible. Certainly, Jordyn’s life illustrates this truth from Philippians: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (4:13).

No matter what our strengths or weaknesses might be, God’s providential hand can give us what we need to make a difference for Him in our world. Rely on His strength to help you as you take a step of faith. —Dennis Fisher

“I will strengthen,” so take courage,

Child of God, so weak and frail;

God has said so, and it must be,

For His promise cannot fail! —Anon.

God’s call to a task includes His strength to complete it.

Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 10-12; John 11:30-57

Insight

The spiritual vitality and confidence found in the inspiring words of today’s text have sustained the faith of believers for hundreds of years. Here Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (v.13). When we read these words we also need to take into consideration their context. Paul, while unjustly incarcerated for his faith, has just received a gracious gift from the congregation in Philippi. The apostle sees a pattern of grace provision in this generous gift. He has learned to rejoice in plenty and to be thankful and satisfied in want. The reason for this is that Jesus Christ, who indwells him and who engineers life’s circumstances, provides him with the power to be resilient in whatever circumstance he must face.

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Our Daily Bread — Quest for Stolen Treasure

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Matthew 4:18-22

[Jesus] said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” —Matthew 4:19

In J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, the dwarfs gathered to go up against Smaug, the fierce dragon, to retrieve their stolen treasure. In spite of the dangerously frightening quest, Balin, the dwarfs’ second-in-command, expressed confidence in Thorin: “There is one I could follow. There is one I could call King.” His commitment to the mission, as dangerous as it was, was empowered by his confidence in his leader.

At the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry, He gathered a group around Him that would join Him in the kingdom task of rescuing the treasure of lost souls from our enemy, Satan. When He called them, He said, “Follow Me” (Matt. 4:19). For them, following Jesus would mean a radical transition from catching fish to the enterprise of being fishers of men and women who were lost in the grip of sin. But the task would not always be easy; Jesus referred to the quest as taking up our cross to follow Him (see Matt. 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23).

How do we stay engaged in the battle to reclaim Christ’s lost treasures when it seems intimidating or awkward? By keeping our eye on our Leader. He indeed is worthy—One we can follow, the One we call King! —Joe Stowell

Lord, in the face of intimidation and fear when

seeking to engage others with the gospel, remind

me that they are Your lost treasures. I count it

a privilege to follow You into others’ lives.

Follow your Leader into the lives of those around you.

Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 7-9; John 11:1-29

Insight

These two pairs of brothers (Peter and Andrew, James and John) were the earliest disciples to respond to Jesus’ call. Most likely, Peter, Andrew, and John had an earlier encounter with Jesus (John 1:35-42). In today’s passage, the Lord is calling them to abandon their fishing trade and to follow Him fully and permanently (Matt. 4:20,22). Later, Peter declared that they had left all to follow Jesus (19:27). These four had been partners in the fishing business (Luke 5:10). Peter, James, and John were also privileged to become the inner circle among Jesus’ 12 disciples (Mark 5:37; 9:2; 14:33).

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Our Daily Bread — The Crash

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Micah 7:8-9,18-20

He will bring me forth to the light; I will see His righteousness. —Micah 7:9

For years after the Great Depression, the stock market struggled to win back investors’ confidence. Then, in 1952, Harry Markowitz suggested that investors spread their stock holdings over several companies and industries. He developed a theory for portfolio selection that helped investors in uncertain times. In 1990, Markowitz and two others won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for their theory.

Like those jittery investors, we followers of Jesus may also find ourselves frozen in fear after a “crash” in our personal lives, unsure how to pick up the pieces and move on. We might even spend our remaining lives waiting for a “Markowitz moment,” when one big idea or action can help us recover from a previous failure.

We forget that Jesus has already done that on our behalf. He covered our shame, and He set us free to fellowship with God and serve Him daily. Because He gave His life, and rose from the dead, when we “fall,” we can “arise” with Him, for “He delights in mercy” (Micah 7:8,18).

The moment we find Jesus, our eternity with Him begins. He walks alongside us so He can change us into the people we long to be and were created to be. —Randy Kilgore

Father, my actions aren’t adequate to fix my

failures. Thank You for doing that through

Your Son Jesus who gave Himself for us.

Help me to look up and walk with You.

Look up from your failure, and you’ll find God standing ready to receive you.

Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 4-6; John 10:24-42

Insight

Today’s reading contains a song of victory. Israel, who has been judged for a cold heart and acts of disobedience, will one day respond gladly with obedience to God. The nation will find light in the Lord’s presence. Interestingly, the passage shares a similar spirit to Moses’ Song of the Sea: “Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” (Ex. 15:11). Micah underscores that God detests those leaders who unscrupulously use their position of power to fleece the helpless and to corrupt courts of justice. But the message of hope is clear to all who repent with heartfelt sincerity and wish to return to a place of genuine obedience.

 

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Our Daily Bread — Blessed Forgetfulness

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John 10:1-10

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved. —John 10:9

My office is downstairs, but I make frequent trips upstairs to various rooms in my house for one thing or another. Unfortunately, by the time I get upstairs I often forget what I was planning to do when I got there. Researcher Gabriel Radvansky has come up with an explanation for this phenomenon. He proposes that a doorway serves as an “event boundary.”

After conducting three different experiments, he theorized that a doorway signals the brain that the information held in memory can be filed away—but it’s frustrating when I’m standing there trying to remember why I came upstairs. However, forgetfulness can be a blessing. When I shut the door to our bedroom at night and settle down to sleep, it’s a blessing to forget the worries of the day.

When I think of the fact that Jesus called Himself “the door” (John 10:7,9), I gain a new appreciation for this metaphor. When sheep enter the pen, they enter a safe place protected from thieves and predators. For believers, the Great Shepherd is the door between us and our enemies. Once we enter the sheepfold, we can “forget” all dangers and threats. We can enjoy divine forgetfulness and rest in the protection of the Great Shepherd. —Julie Ackerman Link

Thank You, Father, for the peace of mind

that comes from knowing You are standing

watch over the events of our lives. Help us

to rest securely in Your protection.

Christ is the door that keeps us in and keeps the dangers out.

Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 1-3; John 10:1-23

Insight

At the time of Jesus, Jewish shepherds kept their flocks in communal sheepfolds—normally stone-walled enclosures. These sheepfolds would house many flocks overnight. In the morning, the shepherd was allowed to enter the sheepfold. As he walked and called among the mixed flocks, only his own sheep would respond to him. Hearing and recognizing the shepherd’s voice, his sheep would follow him out of the sheepfold to the pasture.

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Our Daily Bread — A Call To Comfort

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2 Corinthians 1:3-11

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. —2 Corinthians 1:3

In their book Dear Mrs. Kennedy, Jay Mulvaney and Paul De Angelis note that during the weeks following the assassination of US President John Kennedy, his widow, Jacqueline, received nearly one million letters from people in every part of the world. Some came from heads of state, celebrities, and close friends. Others were sent by ordinary people who addressed them to “Madame Kennedy, Washington” and “Mrs. President, America.” All wrote to express their grief and sympathy for her great loss.

When people suffer and we long to help, it’s good to recall Paul’s word-picture of “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” as “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3). Our heavenly Father is the ultimate source of every tender mercy, kind word, and helpful act that brings encouragement and healing. Bible scholar W. E. Vine says that paraklesis—the Greek word translated “comfort”—means “a calling to one’s side.” The words comfort and consolation appear repeatedly in today’s Bible reading as a reminder that the Lord holds us close and invites us to cling to Him.

As the Lord wraps His loving arms around us, we are able to embrace others “with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (v.4). —David McCasland

Father, thank You for letting us share with You

our worries and cares. We’re grateful that You

stand beside us to comfort and guide. Help us

to console others as You look out for Your own.

God comforts us so that we can comfort others.

Bible in a year: 1 Chronicles 28-29; John 9:24-41

Insight

So often we ask why God allows a hurtful experience to come our way. Today’s reading provides us with at least one very plausible reason for the pain. We are comforted in our afflictions so that we might comfort others in theirs (v.4). Hearing of the faithfulness of God in trials uplifts others who suffer.

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Our Daily Bread — Our Daily Bread — Pace Yourself

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Mark 6:30-36

Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while. —Mark 6:31

Not long ago I developed a physical problem. My left shoulder and arm were aching, I had a painful rash on my forearm and thumb, and I struggled daily with fatigue. When I finally went to the doctor, I learned that I had a case of shingles. The doctor put me on antiviral medication and said it would take several weeks for the disease to run its course.

Because of this illness, I had to force myself into a new routine. A short nap in the morning and one in the afternoon were necessary to give me the strength to be productive. Until I recovered, I had to learn to pace myself.

At one point when Jesus sent His representatives out to teach in His name, they were so excited with all they were doing that they neglected to take time to eat and rest properly. When they returned, Christ told them: “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while” (Mark 6:31).

Everyone needs rest, and if we go too long without it, we will suffer physically and emotionally. We also will be unable to carry out our responsibilities as well as we should. Is the Lord encouraging you to “come aside . . . and rest a while”? Sometimes a few more rest stops with Him may be necessary. —Dennis Fisher

I come aside from the world of strife,

With its burdens, trials, and the cares of life

To a beautiful, quiet, restful place

Where I commune with my Jesus face to face. —Brandt

To avoid a breakdown, take a break for rest and prayer.

Bible in a year: 1 Chronicles 25-27; John 9:1-23

Insight

When Jesus asked His disciples to go to a deserted place and rest (Mark 6:31), He was telling them to do something that He had often done with them. Jesus had withdrawn with His disciples to the sea (2:13; 3:7) or up on the mountain (3:13). Jesus was also in the habit of withdrawing from the crowds to a solitary place to rest and to spend time talking with His Father (Matt. 14:13,23; 26:36; Mark 1:35; 6:46; Luke 4:42; 6:12; John 6:15). “So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed” (Luke 5:16).

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Our Daily Bread — An Appropriate Name

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Matthew 1:18-25

You shall call His name JESUS. —Matthew 1:21

The name of the southeastern Asian nation of Indonesia is formed by combining two Greek words which together mean “island.” That name is appropriate because Indonesia is made up of more than 17,500 islands spanning nearly 750,000 square miles. Indonesia—an appropriate name for a nation of islands.

In the Bible, we find that people were often given names—sometimes at birth, sometimes later—that made a statement about them or their character. Barnabas, whose name means “son of encouragement,” continually encouraged those he encountered. Jacob, whose name means “schemer,” repeatedly manipulated people and situations for his own selfish ends.

And no one has ever been more appropriately named than Jesus. When the angel of the Lord spoke to Joseph about Mary’s soon-to-be-born Son, he told Joseph, “You shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).

Jesus means “the Lord saves” and defines both who Jesus is and why He came. He was also called Immanuel, which means “God with us” (1:23). His name reveals our eternal hope! —Bill Crowder

How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds

In a believer’s ear!

It soothes his sorrow, heals his wounds,

And drives away his fear. —Newton

The name of Jesus is at the heart of our faith and our hope.

Bible in a year: 1 Chronicles 22-24; John 8:28-59

Insight

In his book Miracles, C. S. Lewis answers the argument against the virgin birth that suggests first-century people did not understand natural law. To this, Lewis responds that the whole motive for Joseph considering breaking the engagement was that he understood where babies come from (v.19). It took an angel in a dream to point to the supernatural source of Mary’s conception. First-century people, like believers today, understood that for a virgin to give birth would require a miracle.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — More Than We Deserve

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Our Daily Bread

Psalm 103:6-18

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. —Psalm 103:10

Sometimes when people ask how I’m doing, I reply, “Better than I deserve.” I remember a well-meaning person responding, “Oh no, Joe, you deserve a lot,” to which I replied, “Not really.” I was thinking about what I truly deserve—God’s judgment.

We easily forget how sinful we are at the core of our being. Thinking of ourselves more highly than we should diminishes our sense of deep indebtedness to God for His grace. It discounts the price He paid to rescue us.

Time for a reality check! As the psalmist reminds us, God “has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities” (Ps. 103:10). Considering who we are in light of a holy and just God, the only thing we truly deserve is hell. And heaven is an absolute impossibility—except for the gift of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. If God never does anything more than redeem us, He has already done far more than we deserve. No wonder the psalmist says, “As the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him” (v.11).

Knowing ourselves for what we are, we can’t help but say, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound!” He gives us so much more than we deserve. —Joe Stowell

Lord, thank You for not dealing with me according to

my sins. I am indebted to You for the love and grace

that You demonstrated on the cross to purchase my

pardon and forgiveness—far beyond what I deserve!

If God never does anything more than redeem us, He has already done far more than we deserve.

Bible in a year: 1 Chronicles 19-21; John 8:1-27

Insight

Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote eloquently of Psalm 103: “[This psalm of David] is in his own style when at its best, and we should attribute it to his later years when he had a higher sense of the preciousness of pardon, because [of] a keener sense of sin, than in his younger days. His clear sense of the frailty of life indicates his weaker years, as also does the very [fullness] of his praiseful gratitude.”

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Listening

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Our Daily Bread

Job 2:11-13

Oh, that I had one to hear me! —Job 31:35

In her book Listening to Others, Joyce Huggett writes about the importance of learning to listen and respond effectively to those in difficult situations. As she relates some of her own experiences of listening to suffering people, she mentions that they often thank her for all she’s done for them. “On many occasions,” she writes, “I have not ‘done’ anything. I have ‘just listened.’ I quickly came to the conclusion that ‘just listening’ was indeed an effective way of helping others.”

This was the help Job sought from his friends. While it is true that they sat with him for 7 days in silence, “for they saw that his grief was very great” (2:13), they didn’t listen when Job started talking. Instead, they talked and talked but failed to comfort him (16:2). “Oh, that I had one to hear me!” Job cried (31:35).

Listening says, “What matters to you matters to me.” Sometimes people do want advice. But often they just want to be listened to by someone who loves and cares about them.

Listening is hard work, and it takes time. It takes time to listen long enough to hear the other person’s true heart, so that if we do speak, we speak with gentle wisdom.

Oh, Lord, give us a loving heart and a listening ear. —David Roper

I cried, and from His holy hill

He bowed a listening ear;

I called my Father, and my God,

And He subdued my fear. —Watts

When I’m thinking about an answer while others are talking—I’m not listening.

Bible in a year: 1 Chronicles 16-18; John 7:28-53

Insight

Job was in financial ruin, had just lost all 10 of his children (Job 1:13-19), and had suddenly taken ill (2:7). As a result, three of Job’s friends did what normal good friends would do in the face of life’s pain: they traveled long distances to be with Job in order to comfort him (vv.11-12). Participating in Job’s grief and pain (v.12), “they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights” (v.13). This was the normal duration for grieving the loss of a loved one in the ancient Near East (Gen. 50:10; 1 Sam. 31:13). And sitting on the ground was their way of showing deep sorrow (Isa. 3:26; Lam. 2:10; Jonah 3:6). Yet, despite his friends’ initial good start, the majority of the counseling they gave him was unhelpful or wrong.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Anchors In The Storm

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Our Daily Bread

Joshua 1:1-9

The LORD your God is with you wherever you go. —Joshua 1:9

When Matt and Jessica tried to navigate their sailboat into a Florida inlet during Hurricane Sandy, the craft ran aground. As the waves crashed around them, they quickly dropped anchor. It held the sailboat in place until they could be rescued. They said that if they had not put down the anchor, “We would have lost our boat for sure.” Without the anchor, the relentless waves would have smashed the vessel onto the shore.

We need anchors that hold us secure in our spiritual lives as well. When God called Joshua to lead His people after Moses’ death, He gave him anchors of promise he could rely on in troubled times. The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. . . . The LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Josh. 1:5,9). God also gave Joshua and His people the “Book of the Law” to study and observe (vv.7-8). That, and God’s presence, were anchors the Israelites could rely on as they faced many challenges.

When we’re in the middle of suffering or when doubts start threatening our faith, what are our anchors? We could start with Joshua 1:5. Although our faith may feel weak, if it’s anchored in God’s promises and presence, He will safely hold us. —Anne Cetas

We have an anchor that keeps the soul

Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,

Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,

Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love. —Owens

When we feel the stress of the storm we learn the strength of the anchor.

Bible in a year: 1 Chronicles 13-15; John 7:1-27

Insight

In today’s reading, God encourages Joshua who has recently replaced his predecessor, Moses. God’s past faithfulness to Moses must have brought great comfort to Joshua: “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you” (v.5). For us as well, God’s faithfulness in the past brings courage for the future.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Once Upon A Time

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Our Daily Bread

Matthew 24:32-44

The LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. —Jonah 1:17

Some people say that the Bible is just a collection of fairy tales. A boy slaying a giant. A man swallowed by a big fish. Noah’s boat-building experience. Even some religious people think that these events are just nice stories with a good moral.

Jesus Himself, however, spoke of Jonah and the giant fish, and Noah and the flood, as actual events: “As the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matt. 24:37-39). His return will happen when we’re not expecting it.

Jesus compared Jonah’s 3 days inside the big fish to the 3 days He would experience in the grave before His resurrection (Matt. 12:40). And Peter talked about Noah and the flood when he equated it to a future day when Jesus comes back (2 Peter 2:4-9).

God gave us His Word; it’s a book that is filled with truth—not fairy tales. And one day, we will live happily ever after with Him when Jesus comes again and receives His children to Himself. —Cindy Hess Kasper

We’re waiting for You, Lord, to come

And take us home to be with You;

Your promise to return for us

Gives hope because we know it’s true. —Sper

We have reason for optimism if we’re looking for Christ’s return.

Bible in a year: 1 Chronicles 10-12; John 6:45-71

Insight

In His teaching, Christ often used examples from nature, as He did here with the fig tree (Matt. 24:32). He communicated to His listeners with word-pictures that would be familiar to them. They were part of an agricultural society that mostly lived outdoors, so nature became the perfect vehicle for His presentation of spiritual truths.