A Re-post From Dennis Fisher of Our Daily Bread

Taking Risks

May 23, 2012 — by Dennis Fisher

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Read: Acts 15:7-26

Barnabas and Paul . . . have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. —Acts 15:25-26

Bible in a Year:
Job 32-34

In his book Stuntman! My Car-Crashing, Plane-Jumping, Bone-Breaking, Death-Defying Hollywood Life, Hal Needham reflects on taking risks. Needham has slugged it out in fist fights, raced cars at high speed, walked on wings of airborne planes, fallen off horses, and has even been set on fire! He risked his life to entertain film audiences and to distinguish himself as a top Hollywood stuntman.
Paul and Barnabas were also “men who have risked their lives” (Acts 15:26). But their motivation was far different. Their goal was to exalt Christ through the preaching of the gospel. As a missionary in the Roman Empire, Paul faced hazards that resulted in shipwrecks, beatings, persecution, and imprisonment—just to name a few (2 Cor. 11:22-30). But Paul was more than willing to take these risks to make Christ known.
Many believers take risks to spread Jesus’ good news. But fear of rejection causes others to remain silent. Have you been passively sitting on the sidelines ignoring opportunities to share the gospel? God has provided His Spirit to empower you (Acts 1:8) and His Word to make the message clear (Rom. 1:16). Ask God for the courage to speak up and witness for the Savior. Taking the risk will be well worth it.

Will you be bold in your witness
By giving lost sinners God’s Word?
Jesus will honor your service,
And sinners will surely be stirred. —Bosch

The rewards of witnessing are well worth the risks.

A Re-post From Randy Kilgore of Our Daily Bread

Fear Not

May 22, 2012 — by Randy Kilgore

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Read: Isaiah 43:1-4

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. —Isaiah 43:1

Bible in a Year:
Job 28-31

My wife became seriously ill during her pregnancy with our second child. As the doctors struggled to find the problem, she continued to grow weaker—dangerously so.
Watching her suffer was a helpless and horrible feeling for me, and there were days when it felt as if God were not hearing our prayers. One Sunday, while I was looking for comfort from Scripture, my eyes landed on the first verse in Isaiah 43.
“Fear not,” it begins, and ends with “you are Mine.” Instantly, the Holy Spirit made the words personal. The intimate way God addresses Israel reminded me of His always-present attention to us too: “When you pass through the waters . . . through the rivers . . . through the fire” (v.2). Each phrase rose up in crescendo, from the pages to my heart.
Our comfort in that hour came not from promises of healing or miracles, but from knowing we were never alone. We had many other frightening times, including just after Ethan’s birth, when it looked as if both he and Cheryl would be lost. But God had used His words to comfort us and prepare us for those harder moments!
Let these words be a reminder to you that you are never alone.

At times our fears may loom so large,
We long for proof that God is near;
It’s then our Father says to us,
“Have faith, My child, and do not fear.” —D. De Haan

Never forget in the darkness, what you know to be true in the light.

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A Re-post From Cindy Hess Kasper of Our Daily Bread

Night Crew

May 21, 2012 — by Cindy Hess Kasper

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Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn

Read: Colossians 3:22-25

Obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. —Colossians 3:22

Bible in a Year:
Job 25-27

Pat’s first job was working on the night crew at a grocery store. After closing time, he and the other employees stocked the shelves. Pat’s boss had instructed them to always turn the soup cans forward so that the label could be read easily. But he had gone a little further by saying, “Make sure that they’re facing forward—three cans back.” One night as Pat was arranging the shelves, his co-workers began to scoff, “Just make sure the front can is turned the right way. Who’s gonna know?”
It was a moment of decision for the teenager. Should he obey what his boss had asked him to do, or just do what was easy?
We’ve all been in similar situations where we’ve had to make a choice. The apostle Paul encouraged his fellow believers to be obedient even when no one was watching: “Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God” (Col. 3:22).
Doing the right thing should not be dependent on whether our employer is around or if anyone else is watching. It’s not always easy or convenient to be obedient. But it’s right.
Remember, “to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).

Lord, help me to follow Jesus,
To obey Him day by day,
To be His faithful disciple
And please Him in every way. —Fitzhugh

Our character is measured by what we do when no one is looking.

A Re-post From Joe Stowell of Our Daily Bread

Prepared For The Real Thing

May 20, 2012 — by Joe Stowell

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Read: Luke 12:35-40

Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. —Luke 12:40

Bible in a Year:
Job 21-24

Through the years, quite a few people have predicted the return of Jesus at a specific time. Just last year an American radio preacher stirred up the interest of the mainstream media with his prediction that Jesus would return on May 21, 2011.
Anyone who knows Scripture well knew that this advance warning wasn’t accurate, because Jesus Himself said His return would be “at an hour you do not expect” (Luke 12:40). But I do have to admit that this prediction captured my attention. Often I get so caught up in the busyness of life that I live as though Jesus’ return is some distant reality. I forget that Jesus could come back at any time. The prediction, wrong as it was, reminded me about the importance of being prepared for my Savior’s return, and it renewed my excitement that it could be any day—even today.
Sometimes when we think of being ready for Jesus’ return, we think about what we shouldn’t be doing. But being prepared is really about purifying ourselves and becoming more and more like Him so we are pleasing to Him when He comes back for us (1 John 3:2-3). Jesus taught that being ready for His return requires living according to our Master’s will now (Luke 12:47). Will we be prepared when it’s time for the real thing?

Keep me praying, keep me trusting
Every step along life’s way!
Keep me waiting, keep me watching,
For He may return today! —Thiesen

Look for Christ’s return and you’ll live for Christ’s glory.

A Re-post From Anne Cetas of Our Daily Bread

Not What I Planned

May 18, 2012 — by Anne Cetas

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Read: Psalm 37:1-8

Rest in the Lord. —Psalm 37:7

Bible in a Year:
Job 14-17

This isn’t the way I expected my life to be. I wanted to marry at 19, have a half-dozen children, and settle into life as a wife and mother. But instead I went to work, married in my forties, and never had children. For a number of years I was hopeful that Psalm 37:4 might be for me a God-guaranteed promise: “He shall give you the desires of your heart.”
But God doesn’t always “bring it to pass” (v.5), and unmet desires stir up occasional sadness. Like mine, your life may have turned out differently than you planned. A few thoughts from Psalm 37 may be helpful (even though the psalm is primarily about comparing ourselves to the wicked).
We learn from verse 4 that unfulfilled desires don’t have to take the joy out of life. As we get to know God’s heart, He becomes our joy.
“Commit your way to the Lord” (v.5). The word commit means “to roll.” Bible teacher Herbert Lockyear, Sr., says, “‘Roll thy way upon the Lord,’ as one who lays upon the shoulders of one stronger than himself a burden which he is not able to bear.”
“Trust also in Him” (v.5). When we confidently entrust everything to God, we can “rest in the Lord” (v.7), for He is bringing about His best for our lives.

As I walk along life’s pathway,
Though the way I cannot see,
I shall follow in His footsteps,
For He has a plan for me. —Thiesen

A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. —Proverbs 16:9

A Re-post From David C. McCasland of Our Daily Bread

A Place For You

May 17, 2012 — by David C. McCasland

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Read: John 13:36–14:4

If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. —John 14:3

Bible in a Year:
Job 11-13

A couple who brought their elderly aunt to live with them were concerned that she would not feel at home. So they transformed a room in their house into an exact replica of her bedroom at the home she left behind. When their aunt arrived, her furniture, wall hangings, and other favorite things felt like a special “Welcome home!” to her.
In John 13:36–14:4, we read that at the Last Supper Jesus spoke to His disciples and tried to prepare them for His death. When Simon Peter asked, “Where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward” (13:36). Jesus was still speaking directly to Peter (and also meant it for all of His followers) when He said, “In My Father’s house are many mansions [rooms]; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (14:2-3).
Heaven is a family gathering of believers from every tribe and nation, but it is also our Father’s house—and in that house He is preparing a room just for you.
When you arrive in heaven and Jesus opens the door, you’ll know you’re home.

I have a home in heaven above
From sin and sorrow free—
A mansion which eternal love
Designed and formed for me. —Bennett

For the Christian, heaven is spelled H-O-M-E.

A Re-post From Marvin Williams of Our Daily Bread

Courageous Conversation

May 16, 2012 — by Marvin Williams

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Read: Galatians 2:11-21

When Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed. —Galatians 2:11

Bible in a Year:
Job 8-10

Is it possible that technological advances in communication have left us unable to confront people properly? After all, employers can now send layoff notices via e-mail. And people can criticize others on Facebook and Twitter instead of talking face to face. Perhaps it might be better to put all that aside and emulate how Paul communicated with Peter when they had a disagreement.
Paul had to confront Peter for compromising grace (Gal. 2:11-16). Peter had been fellowshiping with Gentiles, but when the Judaizers arrived (who believed that sinners are saved through Jesus plus keeping the law of Moses), Peter separated himself from the Gentiles. He ostracized them while professing to be one with them. Seeing this hypocrisy, Paul, in love and with passion, confronted Peter face to face for cowering to a legalistic system that was powerless to change lives. He vigorously reminded Peter that grace leads to freedom from sin’s slavery and to obedience to God.
Having courageous conversations with fellow Christians can be difficult, but they will promote purity and unity. We can carry out our responsibility to one another to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15) by walking in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Lord, give us courage to confront
Believers who have strayed;
And then with gentleness restore
By coming to their aid. —Sper

A well-chosen word can speak volumes.