A Repost From David H. Roper of Our Daily Bread

Lambs May Wade

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November 4, 2011 — by David H. Roper

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Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn

Read: 2 Timothy 3:13-17

All Scripture . . . is profitable. —2 Timothy 3:16

Bible in a year:
Jeremiah 32-33; Hebrews 1

Author C. S. Lewis says that reli- gious concepts are like soups—some are thick and some are clear. There are indeed “thick” concepts in the Bible: mysteries, subtleties, and complexities that challenge the most accomplished mind. For example, “[God] has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens” (Rom. 9:18). And yet, in the same volume there are thoughts that are crystal “clear”: simple, attainable, and easily grasped. What could ever surpass the simplicity of the clear affirmation in 1 John 4:16, “God is love”?

John Cameron, a 15th-century writer, suggests, “In the same meadow, the ox may lick up grass, . . . the bird may pick up seeds, . . . and a man finds a pearl; so in one and the same Scripture are varieties to be found for all sorts of conditions. In them, the lamb may wade, and the elephant swim, children may be fed with milk, and meat may be had for stronger men.”

All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in God’s Book, the Bible—ocean depths that can stir the most sophisticated mind, and shallow areas that can be negotiated by any simple, honest soul.

Why hesitate? “All Scripture . . . is profitable” (2 Tim. 3:16). Jump in!

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

God speaks through His Word—take time to listen.

Reposted From David H. Roper of Our Daily Bread

A Repost From Dave Branon of Our Daily Bread

Looking For Water

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November 3, 2011 — by Dave Branon

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Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn

Read: John 4:1-15

Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. —John 4:14

Bible in a year:
Jeremiah 30-31; Philemon

The United States has spent millions of dollars looking for water on Mars. A few years ago, NASA sent twin robots, Opportunity and Spirit, to the red planet to see if water was present or had been present at one time. Why did the US do this? The scientists who are poring over data sent back from those two little Martian rovers are trying to figure out if life ever existed on Mars. And for that to have happened, there had to be water. No water, no life.

Two thousand years ago, a couple of “rovers” set out across the countryside of an Earth-outpost called Samaria looking for water. One was a woman who lived nearby. The other was a man from Galilee. They ended up meeting at a well near the village of Sychar. When they did, Jesus found the water He was looking for, and the woman found the water she didn’t know she needed (John 4:5-15).

Water is essential for both physical and spiritual life. Jesus had a surprise for the woman at the well. He offered her the Water of Life—Himself. He is the refreshing, renewing “fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).

Do you know anyone looking for water? Someone who is spiritually thirsty? Introduce that person to Jesus, the Living Water. It’s the greatest discovery of all time.

Gracious and Almighty Savior,
Source of all that shall endure,
Quench my thirst with living water,
Living water, clear and pure. —Vinal

Only Jesus, the Living Water, can satisfy the thirsty soul.

Reposted From Dave Branon of Our Daily Bread

A Repost From David C. Egner of Our Daily Bread

Mouth Guard

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November 2, 2011 — by David C. Egner

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Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn

Read: Proverbs 15:1-7

The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. —Proverbs 15:2

Bible in a year:
Jeremiah 27-29; Titus 3

I was walking in a subway in Minsk, Belarus, with my friend Yuliya and her daughter Anastasia when I suddenly fell face first onto the dirty concrete floor. I don’t remember the fall, but I do remember suddenly having a mouth filled with sand, gravel, and grit. Ugh! I couldn’t get that stuff out of my mouth quickly enough!

I didn’t enjoy what went into my mouth on that embarrassing occasion. But Scripture teaches that it’s more important to guard what comes out of our mouths. When the writer of Proverbs 15 said that “the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness” (v.2), the word translated pours forth literally means “explodes out.” Rash accusations, angry words, and verbal abuse can do immeasurable and lifelong harm. The apostle Paul spoke bluntly about this: “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth” (Eph. 4:29)—no dirty talk. He also said to “[put] away lying” and to “speak truth” (v.25)—no lies. And later, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you” (v.31)—no character assassination. What comes out of our mouths should be wholesome and uplifting.

We guard carefully what goes into our mouths—and rightly so. To honor God, let’s also keep tight control on the words that come out of our mouths.

Lord, help us to control our tongues,
To clean up what we say,
To use words that will edify,
To honor You today. —Sper

Be careful of your thoughts—they may become words at any time.

Reposted From David C. Egner of Our Daily Bread

A Repost From David C. McCasland of Our Daily Bread

Staying Clean

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November 1, 2011 — by David C. McCasland

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Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn

Read: Psalm 119:9-16

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

Bible in a year:
Jeremiah 24-26; Titus 2

During a business trip to Philadelphia, I walked down Broad Street toward City Hall each morning to catch the subway. Each day I passed a long line of people waiting for something. They were a cross-section of humanity in age, ethnic origin, and appearance. After wondering about it for 3 days, I asked a man on the sidewalk why all those people were standing in line. He told me that they were on probation or parole after breaking the law and had to take a daily drug test to show that they were staying clean.

This struck me as a vivid illustration of my need to stay spiritually clean before God. When the psalmist pondered how he could live a pure life, he concluded that the key was to consider and obey God’s teaching. “Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statutes. . . . I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your Word” (Ps. 119:11-12,16).

In the light of God’s Word, we see our sin, but we also see God’s love in Christ. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

By His grace . . . staying clean.

Lord, grant that we may hear You speak
As truth within Your Word we seek;
And may it show us all our sin
And make us clean without, within. —D. De Haan

Read the Bible to be wise, believe it to be safe,
practice it to be holy.

Reposted From David C. McCasland of Our Daily Bread

A Repost From C. P. Hia of Our Daily Bread

Surprise!

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October 31, 2011 — by C. P. Hia

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Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn

Read: John 1:6-13

Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! —John 1:29

Bible in a year:
Jeremiah 22-23; Titus 1

A writer for The Washington Post conducted an experiment to test people’s perception. He asked a famous violinist to perform incognito at a train station in the nation’s capital one January morning. Thousands of people walked by as he played, but only a few stopped to listen. After 45 minutes, just $32 had been dropped into the virtuoso’s open violin case. Two days earlier, this man—Joshua Bell—had used the same $3.5 million Stradivarius for a sold-out concert where people paid $100 a seat to hear him perform.

The idea of a person not being recognized for his greatness isn’t new. It happened to Jesus. “He was in the world,” John said, “. . . and the world did not know Him” (John 1:10). Why did people who had been expecting the Messiah give Jesus such a cold reception? One reason is that they were surprised. Just as people today don’t expect famous musicians to play in railway stations, the people in Jesus’ day didn’t expect Messiah to be born in a stable. They also expected Him to be a political king—not the head of a spiritual kingdom.

The people in the first century were blinded to God’s purpose in sending Jesus to this world. He came to save people from their sins (John 1:29). Receive God’s surprising gift of salvation that He offers freely to you today.

Amazing thought! that God in flesh
Would take my place and bear my sin;
That I, a guilty, death-doomed soul,
Eternal life might win! —Anon.

God broke into human history to offer us the gift of eternal life.

Reposted From C. P. Hia of Our Daily Bread

A Repost From Joe Stowell of Our Daily Bread

Father Of Lies

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October 30, 2011 — by Joe Stowell
2 Timothy 4

Satan’s sway over mankind began when he turned the minds of Adam and Eve against God. In order to pull it off, he had to lie to them about God—and they had to fall for it. In that defining moment, he lied to them about God’s goodness, God’s Word, and God’s intentions (Gen. 3:1-6).

Satan is still up to his old tricks. Jesus said that when the devil “speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar” (John 8:44). It should not be surprising, then, that when trouble interrupts our lives, the father of lies whispers in our ears and suddenly we are questioning God’s goodness. When we are told to follow His commands, we wonder if His Word is really true in the first place. When Jesus tells us things like, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth” (Matt. 6:19), Satan tells us that the good life is about piling up things here, causing us to doubt God’s good intentions.

Our problem is that we, like Adam and Eve, believe Satan’s lies. And when we do, our loyalty to God is compromised. Then our enemy slithers off to his next assignment, leaving us alone to face our regrets and the realization that his lies have seduced us away from our truest and dearest Friend. Who have you been listening to lately?

Satan can catch you by surprise
And stop you in your tracks,
So keep on guard and trust God’s Word,
Resist his strong attacks. —Branon

The power of Satan is no match for the power of God’s Word.

Reposted From Joe Stowell of Our Daily Bread