A Re-post From Julie Ackerman Link of Our Daily Bread

  September 28, 2014  

Every Hardship

By Julie Ackerman Link

 

Read: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. —2 Corinthians 12:9

Bible in a Year:
Isaiah 5-6; Ephesians 1

Like many towns, Enterprise, Alabama, has a prominent monument. But the monument in Enterprise is unlike any other. The statue doesn’t recognize a leading citizen; it celebrates the work of a beetle. In the early 1900s, this boll weevil made its way from Mexico to the southern US. Within a few years it had destroyed entire crops of cotton, the primary source of revenue. In desperation, farmers started growing another crop—peanuts. Realizing they had been dependent on one crop for too long, they credited the beetle with forcing them to diversify, which led to increased prosperity.
The boll weevil is like things that come into our lives and destroy what we have worked hard to accomplish. Devastation results—sometimes financial, emotional, or physical—and it is frightening. We witness the end of life as we know it. But as the people of Enterprise learned, the loss of what is old is an opportunity to discover something new. God may use hardship to get us to give up a bad habit or learn a new virtue. He used a thorn in Paul’s flesh to teach him about grace (2 Cor. 12:7-9).
Instead of striving to preserve old habits that are no longer effective, we can view every hardship as an opportunity for God to cultivate a new virtue in us.

O much-tried saint, with fainting heart,
The thorn with its abiding pain,
With all its wearing, ceaseless ache,
Can be the means of priceless gain. —Anon.

God often uses bitter experiences to make us better.

Insight

In Paul’s letter of 2 Corinthians, he repeatedly bares his soul. In the early portions of the letter, he is forced to defend his role as an apostle, while later he shares the heartaches of all he suffered for Christ. Paul concludes by describing how a painful condition (an undefined “thorn”) is being used as God’s instrument to teach him lessons about grace (12:7-10). This is indeed a very transparent and pain-filled epistle.

A Re-post From Joe Stowell of Our Daily Bread

  September 27, 2014  

The Ultimate Reunion

By Joe Stowell

Read: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

We who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them. —1 Thessalonians 4:17

Bible in a Year:
Isaiah 3-4; Galatians 6

I’ll never forget the vigil of sitting by my dad’s bed as he spent his last few days with us before slipping into eternity. To this day the moment of his passing continues to have a profound effect on me. My dad was always there for me. I could call him whenever I needed counsel. I have great memories of our days fishing together; we would talk about God and the Bible, and I would prompt him to tell those fun stories from his youth on the farm.
But when Dad took his last breath, I became aware of the irreversible finality of death. He was gone from this world. And my heart had a vacancy sign hung on its door.
Yet, even in the midst of such loss and grief, God’s Word speaks encouragingly into the emptiness. The apostle Paul teaches us that at the coming of the Lord Jesus, those who have gone on before will rise first and we “shall be caught up together with them . . . . And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:17). Now that’s a reunion I’m really looking forward to! Not only to be reunited with my dad, but to be with Jesus forever.
C. S. Lewis said, “Christians never say goodbye.” I’m eagerly awaiting that ultimate reunion!

Lord, in the midst of our sorrow and loss, remind
us of the glorious eternal reunion that is waiting
for us. Comfort us in our grief and fill our hearts
with joyful anticipation of the day You will return!

O Death, where is your sting? —1 Corinthians 15:55

Insight

In the Bible, sleep is a euphemism for physical death (Ps. 13:3; Matt. 9:24; 27:52; John 11:11-13; Acts 7:60). Daniel 12:2 says, “Those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Jesus affirmed that “the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28-29). On that day when Jesus returns, believers, “those who sleep in Jesus” (1 Thess. 4:14), will be resurrected first (v.16). Then the believers who are still alive will be “caught up” or “raptured” to meet Christ in the air (v.17).

A Re-post From Bill Crowder of Our Daily Bread

  September 26, 2014  

A Matter Of Trust

By Bill Crowder

Read: Psalm 5

Let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them. —Psalm 5:11

Bible in a Year:
Isaiah 1-2; Galatians 5

A news item from Australia told the story of Pascale Honore, a paraplegic woman who, after 18 years of being confined to a wheelchair, has taken up surfing. How?
Ty Swan, a young surfer, straps her to his back with duct tape. After getting the balance perfect, Ty paddles out into the ocean so they can catch a wave and Pascale can experience the exhilaration of surfing. This requires a tremendous amount of trust; so many things could go wrong. Yet her confidence in Ty is enough to enable her to enjoy a dream come true, in spite of the danger.
Life is like that for the follower of Christ. We live in a dangerous world, filled with unpredictable challenges and unseen perils. Yet, we have joy because we know Someone who is strong enough to carry us through the churning waves of life that threaten to overwhelm us. The psalmist wrote, “Let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You” (Ps. 5:11).
In the face of life’s great dangers and challenges, we can know a joy borne out of our trust in God. His strength is more than enough!

I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end. —Stead

Our faith is stretched by exchanging our weakness for God’s strength.

Insight

In Psalm 5, David celebrates the nearness of God. Though He is Lord, God, and King, He is near to those who love and trust Him. God defends those who trust in Him (v.11), blesses the righteous, and surrounds them with a shield (v.12).

A Re-post From Jennifer Benson Schuldt of Our Daily Bread

  September 25, 2014  

The Wise Old Owl

By Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Read: Proverbs 10:17-21

He who restrains his lips is wise. —Proverbs 10:19

Bible in a Year:
Song of Solomon 6-8; Galatians 4

Years ago an anonymous writer penned a short poem about the merits of measuring our words.
A wise old owl sat in an oak;
The more he saw the less he spoke;
The less he spoke the more he heard;
Why can’t we all be like that wise old bird?
There is a connection between wisdom and limiting what we say. Proverbs 10:19 says, “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.”
We are wise to be careful about what we say or how much we say in certain situations. It makes sense to guard our words when we are angry. James urged his fellow believers, “Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19). Restraining our words can also show reverence for God. Solomon said, “God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few” (Eccl. 5:2). When others are grieving, our silent presence may help more than abundant expressions of sympathy: “No one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great” (Job 2:13).
Although there is a time to be quiet and a time to speak (Eccl. 3:7), choosing to speak less allows us to hear more.

Dear Lord, please grant me wisdom to
know when to speak and when to listen.
I want to encourage others and to care
for them as You have cared for me.

Let your speech be better than silence; otherwise be silent.

Insight

Today’s reading focuses on how we use the words we speak. In verse 17, the emphasis is on the instruction and correction we receive; lying lips and slanderous words are the focus of verse 18. The point of verse 19 is that words can be so dangerous that we’re wiser to not speak than to speak too much, while verse 20 contrasts the speech of those with a right heart (which is like silver) against those whose heart is far from God (worthless). Finally, verse 21 describes how proper speech can be like food to the soul. In all of these sayings, we are challenged to carefully consider how we speak.

A Re-post From Randy Kilgore of Our Daily Bread

  September 18, 2014  

Love To Tell His Story

By Randy Kilgore

Read: 1 Chronicles 16:7-13

Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! —1 Chronicles 16:8

Bible in a Year:
Proverbs 30-31; 2 Corinthians 11:1-15

When noted author Studs Terkel was looking for a topic for his next book, one of his friends suggested “death.” While he was resistant at first, the idea gradually began to take shape, but its voice became all too real when Mr. Terkel’s wife of 60 years passed away. Now the book was also a personal search: a yearning to know what lies beyond, where his loved one had just gone. Its pages are a poignant reminder of our own search for Jesus and the questions and concerns we have about eternity while we walk our faith journey.
I’m thankful for the assurance we can have that we will be with Jesus after we die if we have trusted in Him to forgive our sin. There is no greater hope. It is now our privilege to share that hope with as many as we can. First Peter 3:15 encourages us: “. . . always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” We have the opportunity from God, as David said, to “call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples” (1 Chron. 16:8).
The stories of so many people we love are not yet ended, and the privilege to tell them about the love of Jesus is a gift most precious.

I love to tell the story; more wonderful it seems
Than all the golden fancies of all our golden dreams.
I love to tell the story, it did so much for me;
And that is just the reason I tell it now to thee. —Hankey

Let our days be filled with a longing— and the opportunities—to tell our story of Jesus.

Insight

The psalm David sings in 1 Chronicles 16:7-33 seems to be drawn from parts of several different psalms found in the Hebrew psalter. According to The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, the lyrics of verses 8-22 closely parallel Psalm 105:1-15. In verses 23-33, the song seems to continue with words from Psalm 96, while the remainder of the song (vv.34-36) relates to the ideas expressed in Psalm 106. In this way, David’s song resembles a modern hymn medley, where parts of several songs are combined together to express the singer’s heart of worship.

A Re-post From Dave Branon of Our Daily Bread

  September 17, 2014  

Giving It To God

By Dave Branon

Read: Mark 10:17-22

[He] went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. —Mark 10:22

Bible in a Year:
Proverbs 27-29; 2 Corinthians 10

A hero to a generation of people who grew up after World War II, Corrie ten Boom left a legacy of godliness and wisdom. A victim of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, she survived to tell her story of faith and dependence on God during horrendous suffering.
“I have held many things in my hands,” Corrie once said, “and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that, I still possess.”
Corrie was well acquainted with loss. She lost family, possessions, and years of her life to hateful people. Yet she learned to concentrate on what could be gained spiritually and emotionally by putting everything in the hands of her heavenly Father.
What does that mean to us? What should we place in God’s hands for safekeeping? According to the story of the rich young man in Mark 10, everything. He held abundance in his hands, but when Jesus asked him to give it up, he refused. He kept his possessions and he failed to follow Jesus—and as a result he “went away sorrowful” (v.22).
Like Corrie ten Boom, we can find hope by putting everything in God’s hands and then trusting Him for the outcome.

All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live. —Van de Venter

No life is more secure than a life surrendered to God.

Insight

In Mark 10:1-16, Jesus taught about the demands of discipleship, including the necessity for childlike faith. Here in the encounter with a rich young man, Jesus spoke of the need to love God totally—fully and unreservedly. This young leader lacked unrivaled allegiance to God because he loved his earthly possessions more (v.22). In His teaching, Jesus had warned, “No servant can serve two masters. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13). The young man’s actions sadly illustrated this principle. His story is also told in Matthew 19:16-22 and Luke 18:18-23. Paul too warned of the subtle lure of material riches in 1 Timothy 6:17-19.

A Re-post From Anne Cetas of Our Daily Bread

  September 16, 2014  

A Heart For Prayer

By Anne Cetas

Read: Psalm 27:7-14

When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.” —Psalm 27:8

Bible in a Year:
Proverbs 25-26; 2 Corinthians 9

While traveling on an airplane with her 4- and 2-year-old daughters, a young mom worked at keeping them busy so they wouldn’t disturb others. When the pilot’s voice came over the intercom for an announcement, Catherine, the younger girl, paused from her activities and put her head down. When the pilot finished, she whispered, “Amen.” Perhaps because there had been a recent natural disaster, she thought the pilot was praying.
Like that little girl, I want a heart that turns my thoughts toward prayer quickly. I think it would be fair to say that the psalmist David had that kind of heart. We get hints of that in Psalm 27 as he speaks of facing difficult foes (v.2). He said, “Your face, Lord, I will seek” (v.8). Some say that David was remembering the time he was fleeing from Saul (1 Sam. 21:10) or from his son Absalom (2 Sam. 15:13-14) when he wrote this psalm. Prayer and dependence on God were in the forefront of David’s thinking, and he found Him to be his sanctuary (Ps. 27:4-5).
We need a sanctuary as well. Perhaps reading or praying this psalm and others could help us to develop that closeness to our Father-God. As God becomes our sanctuary, we’ll more readily turn our hearts toward Him in prayer.

Teach me, Father, what it means to run to
and have You as my sanctuary. Help me not to
worry about the words I say, but just to express my
heart to You and to nestle down close to You.

In prayer, God can still our hearts and quiet our minds.

Insight

Many of the psalms are prayers to God, and many are songs to encourage others concerning the goodness and love of God. Today's psalm contains both elements. While David cries out to God for guidance and protection in verses 7-13, he ends his psalm with a message to the reader (v.14). Taking the lessons and thoughts expressed in his prayer, David encourages the reader to trust the Lord and wait upon Him as he has done.