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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — A Special Day

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Our Daily Bread

Luke 11:1-4

This is the day the LORD has made. —Psalm 118:24

What’s special about September 4? Perhaps it’s your birthday or anniversary. That would make it special. Or maybe you could celebrate the historic events of this day. For instance, in 1781, the city of Los Angeles, California, was founded. Or this: In 1993, Jim Abbott, a pitcher for the New York Yankees, didn’t let anyone get a hit off his pitches—and he was born without a right hand. Or if you’re a TV fan: In 1951, the first live US coast-to-coast television broadcast was aired from San Francisco.

But what if none of these events and facts seem to make your September 4 special? Try these ideas:

Today God gives you a new opportunity to praise Him. Psalm 118:24 says, “This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Today God provides for you and wants your trust. “Give us day by day our daily bread” (Luke 11:3).

Today God wants to speak to you through His Word. The believers at Berea “searched the Scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11).

Today God desires to renew your inner person. “The inward man is being renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4:16).

With God as your guide, September 4—and every day—can be special. —Dave Branon

This is the day the Lord hath made,

He calls the hours His own;

Let heaven rejoice, let earth be glad,

And praise surround the throne. —Watts

Each new day gives us new reasons to praise the Lord.

Bible in a year: Psalms 143-145; 1 Corinthians 14:21-40

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — The Real Deal

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Our Daily Bread

1 Corinthians 15:1-21

[Christ] rose again the third day . . . [and] was seen by over five hundred brethren. —1 Corinthians 15:4-6

Sometimes cleaning out Grandpa’s attic pays off. For an Ohio man, it paid off in the discovery of a more than 100-year-old set of mint-condition baseball cards. Appraisers placed the cards’ value at $3 million.

One key to the high value of those cards was the fact that they were well-preserved. But beyond that, the true worth of the cards rested in the fact that they were authentic. If they had been fakes or counterfeits—no matter how good they looked—they wouldn’t have been worth the cardboard they were printed on.

The apostle Paul had something similar to say about Christianity. He said that our faith would be completely worthless and counterfeit if Jesus’ resurrection were not the real deal. It took bravery and confidence in God’s plan for Paul to say, “If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty” (1 Cor. 15:14) and “If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!” (v.17).

The Christian faith rests on the authenticity of this story: Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead. Praise God for the clear evidence of Jesus’ death and resurrection (vv.3-8). It’s the real deal, and we can stake our eternity and our total dependence on God on its truth. —Dave Branon

Lord, we’re eternally thankful for the truth

confirmed in Your Word and in our hearts that

You died and rose again for us. We love You, Lord,

and lift our voices in praise!

God is the only true God.

Bible in a year: Psalms 132-134; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Taking Root

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Our Daily Bread

Matthew 13:1-9

Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up. —Matthew 13:5

A small area of my yard just couldn’t seem to get going. The grass always seemed sparse in that spot, no matter how well I watered it.

So one day I stuck a shovel into this troublesome real estate and discovered the problem: Just below the surface was a layer of stones about three inches deep. This led me to replace the stones with rich topsoil in which new seeds could take root.

Jesus talked about seed and soils. In a parable in Matthew 13 about what happens when the seed of the gospel is sown on various kinds of ground, He said that seeds that land on stones and “not much earth” grow quickly but then die in the sun (vv.5-6). He was speaking of one who has heard and received the gospel, but in whose life the message doesn’t take root. When trouble comes, this person—who is not a genuine believer—falls away.

How grateful we can be for Jesus’ words that conclude this parable: “He who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the Word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit” (v.23). What a reminder of both the privilege and the responsibility that accompanies our salvation.

Praise God for the seed of the gospel and the soil of spiritual growth. —Dave Branon

Lord, I would be soil in which You can plant

Your Word with its promise of fruit;

I want to be open to You every day,

So what You have planted takes root. —Hess

A heart open to God is soil in which the seed of His Word can flourish.

Bible in a year: Psalms 40-42; Acts 27:1-26

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — That’s Jesus!

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Our Daily Bread

Isaiah 53:4-12

He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities. —Isaiah 53:5

As a Jewish kid growing up in New York, Michael Brown had no interest in spiritual things. His life revolved around being a drummer for a band, and he got mixed up with drugs. But then some friends invited him to church, where he found the love and prayers of the people to be irresistible. After a short spiritual struggle, Michael trusted Jesus as Savior.

This was a monumental change for a wayward Jewish teen. One day he told his dad he had heard about Old Testament texts describing Jesus. His dad, incredulous, asked, “Where?” When Michael opened his Bible, it fell to Isaiah 53. They read it, and Michael exclaimed, “That’s Him! That’s Jesus!”

Indeed, it is Jesus. Through the help of Christians and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Brown (today a Bible scholar and an author) came to recognize the Messiah of Isaiah 53. He experienced the salvation that changes lives, forgives sin, and gives abundant life to all who trust the “Man of sorrows” (v.3). Jesus is the One who was “wounded for our transgressions” and who died for us on the cross (v.5).

The Bible reveals Jesus, who alone has the power to change lives. —Dave Branon

God, I struggle with this idea of Jesus as Savior.

I know He’s a good man, but I need to see that He is

more than that. Please show me—through others or

through the Bible—how I can know for sure who Jesus is.

The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to change hearts.

Bible in a year: Psalms 4-6; Acts 17:16-34

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Our Daily Bread — Obedience Is Worship

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1 Samuel 15:13-23

To obey is better than sacrifice. —1 Samuel 15:22

While I was traveling with a chorale from a Christian high school, it was great to see the students praise God as they led in worship in the churches we visited. What happened away from church was even better to see. One day the group discovered that a woman had no money for gas—and they spontaneously felt led by God to take up a collection. They were able to give her enough money for several tankfuls of gas.

It’s one thing to worship and praise God at church; it’s quite another to move out into the real world and worship Him through daily obedience.

The students’ example causes us to think about our own lives. Do we confine our worship to church? Or do we continue to worship Him by obeying Him in our daily life, looking for opportunities to serve?

In 1 Samuel 15 we see that Saul was asked by the Lord to do a task; but when we review what he did (vv.20-21), we discover that he used worship (sacrifice) as an excuse for his failure to obey God. God’s response was, “To obey is better than sacrifice” (v.22).

It’s good to be involved in worship at church. But let’s also ask God to show us ways to continue to give Him the praise He deserves through our obedience. —Dave Branon

Lord, I want my worship of You to extend beyond

the walls of my church. Help me to listen to

Your prompting and to serve others wherever

I can—no matter what day it is.

Our worship should not be confined to times and places; it should be the spirit of our lives.

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Our Daily Bread — Displaying God’s Glory

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Romans 8:1-10

Those who live according to the Spirit, [live according to] the things of the Spirit. —Romans 8:5

I love baseball and have been a fan of the sport since I was a little kid. I especially enjoy following the Detroit Tigers. But during a recent season, the Tigers’ poor play and losing record early in the season frustrated me greatly. So for my own personal well-being, I took a break. I spent 4 days avoiding anything to do with my favorite team.

During those 4 Tiger-less days, I began to contemplate how difficult it is to give up things we’ve grown accustomed to. Yet there are times when God may want us to.

For instance, we may be involved in an activity that has become all-encompassing—and we know it would be best to limit it (see 1 Cor. 6:12). Or we may have a habit or practice that we know misses the mark of pleasing God, and we realize that we need to let it go because we love Him and want Him to be glorified through us (15:34).

When we do find things that interfere with our relationship with the Lord, with His help we can stop. God has given us the provision (1 Cor. 10:13), and the Spirit provides the power (Rom. 8:5).

Let’s ask Him to help us not let anything block His glory from shining through. —Dave Branon

You are perfect, Lord, and we are so far from

perfect. Please chip away at our imperfections

through the work of Your Holy Spirit. Help us

each day to grow more and more like You.

Drawing close to Christ produces a growing Christlikeness.

 

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Our Daily Bread — Always Preparing

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2 Timothy 2:19-26

If anyone cleanses himself from [dishonor], he will be a vessel for honor, . . . prepared for every good work. —2 Timothy 2:21

While my son was home for an extended visit, he knocked on my office door one morning and asked me what I was doing. “I’m preparing for Sunday school,” I told him. Then, thinking about all the time I spend in my office, I said, “It seems like I’m always preparing for something.”

I’m grateful for the opportunities God gives me to reach out to others. There’s some stress, though, when you’re always getting something ready for somebody. It’s hard to balance priorities with the pressure to prepare a lesson, a message, or a document continually on your mind.

This idea of constant preparation intrigued me, so I checked the Bible to see if it talks about the subject. I found that we are called to always be preparing. A heart dedicated to God must be prepared to serve Him (1 Sam. 7:3). We are to be ready to do good works (2 Tim. 2:21) and to defend scriptural truth (1 Peter 3:15). And Paul reminds us that even our giving takes planning (2 Cor. 9:5).

That’s just a start. Living a life that pleases the Lord takes mental, spiritual, and physical preparation. But we don’t need to stress, because He will enable us with His power. Let’s ask God to guide us as we prepare to serve, honor, and tell others about Him. —Dave Branon

Savior, like a shepherd lead us,

Much we need Thy tender care;

In Thy pleasant pastures feed us,

For our use Thy folds prepare. —Thrupp

The best preparation for tomorrow is the right use of today.

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Our Daily Bread — Fantastic Offers

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1 Peter 1:3-9

[God’s] abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus. —1 Peter 1:3

I am amazed at the unbelievable offers that flood my e-mail box every day. Recently, I added up the offers of free money that came to me in a week, and my “take” totaled $26 million. But each of those offers was a fraud. Every one—from a $1 million prize to a $7 million offer—was nothing but a lie sent by unscrupulous people to squeeze money from me.

We’re all vulnerable to fantastic offers—to scams that in reality pay off with nothing but trouble. We are offered false hope that ends in dashed dreams.

There is one offer, however, that is genuine, though fantastic beyond belief. It’s the offer God makes to us—salvation through faith in Jesus’ finished work on the cross: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). It is an offer that cost Him greatly—and we get the benefits. The book of Romans tells us, “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (4:25 NIV).

By saying yes to salvation, we can have hope (Titus 1:2), peace (Rom. 5:1), forgiveness (Eph. 1:7), incomparable riches (2:7), and redemption (4:30). This is the real deal. Jesus’ death and resurrection guarantees it. —Dave Branon

Amazing love! How can it be

That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Amazing love! How can it be

That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

—John Wesley. © 1951 Singspiration

Our salvation was infinitely costly to God, but it is absolutely free to us.

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Our Daily Bread — Money Talk

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1 Timothy 6:6-12

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God. —1 Timothy 6:17

Marilyn and Steven had been married just a few years, and money was tight. But as she looked at their threadbare bedspread, she wanted to replace it. So she decided she would buy a new one with a credit card—hoping to somehow find the money to pay it off.

Her devotional reading for the day surprised her when it pointed her to Proverbs 22:27, “If you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you” (NIV). Marilyn decided not to go into debt for a new bedspread that day.

Decisions about the way we spend our money are a personal matter between us and the Lord and can be difficult to make. But God hasn’t left us without help. He tells us: “Honor the LORD with your possessions” (Prov. 3:9), and “You cannot serve both God and Money” (Matt. 6:24 NIV).

With such truths in mind, we look further in His Word for help to use money wisely. We find this: “Beware of covetousness” (Luke 12:15). Another says, “The borrower is servant to the lender” (Prov. 22:7). And in 1 Timothy we read, be “ready to give, willing to share” (6:18).

Money is a big issue. God, who provides for all our needs, can show us how to use it to bring Him honor. —Dave Branon

Lord, sometimes money and finances are

overwhelming. It’s hard to know what decisions

to make, so please lead me and give the wisdom

to use my finances in a way that pleases You.

Never let gold become your god.

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Our Daily Bread — Mysterious Truth

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John 17:20-26

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. —Psalm 116:15

Sometimes when the infinite God conveys His thoughts to finite man, mystery is the result. For example, there’s a profound verse in the book of Psalms that seems to present more questions than answers: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants” (116:15 niv).

I shake my head and wonder how that can be. I see things with earthbound eyes, and I have a tough time seeing what is “precious” about the fact that our daughter was taken in a car accident at the age of 17—or that any of us have lost cherished loved ones.

We begin to unwrap the mystery, though, when we consider that what is precious to the Lord is not confined to earthly blessings. This verse examines a heaven-based perspective. For instance, I know from Psalm 139:16 that Melissa’s arrival in God’s heaven was expected. God was looking for her arrival, and it was precious in His eyes. And think about this: Imagine the Father’s joy when He welcomes His children home and sees their absolute ecstasy in being face to face with His Son (see John 17:24).

When death comes for the follower of Christ, God opens His arms to welcome that person into His presence. Even through our tears, we can see how precious that is in God’s eyes. —Dave Branon

Lord, when sorrow grips our hearts as we think about

the death of one close to us, remind us of the joy You are

experiencing as our loved one enjoys the pleasures of

heaven. Please allow that to give us hope and comfort.

 

A sunset in one land is a sunrise in another.