Daily Devotion

[boldstardex]

Re-Creation
October 24, 2013 — by Marvin Williams

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: 2 Corinthians 5:12-21
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. —2 Corinthians 5:17
Bible in a Year:
Jeremiah 3-5; 1 Timothy 4
Chris Simpson’s life used to be consumed by hate. After he and his wife lost their first child, he was confused and angry. He directed that anger toward various ethnic groups and covered his body with hate-filled tattoos.

After listening to his son mimic his hatred, though, Simpson knew he needed to change. He watched a Christian movie about courage and began attending church. One month later he was baptized as a follower of Jesus Christ. Simpson is now a new person and is leaving the hate behind him, which includes the painful and expensive process of having his tattoos removed.

The apostle Paul knew something about this kind of deep transformation. He hated Jesus and persecuted His followers (Acts 22:4-5; 1 Cor. 15:9). But a personal encounter and spiritual union with Christ (Acts 9:1-20) changed all of that, causing him to reevaluate his life in light of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. This union with Christ made Paul a new person. The old order of sin, death, and selfishness was gone and a new beginning, a new covenant, a new perspective and way of living had come.

Following Jesus is not turning over a new leaf; it is beginning a new life under a new Master.

For Further Thought
What is the evidence that my union with Christ
has transformed my old humanity? Are there
indicators that I am not the me I used to be?
Being in Christ is not rehabilitation, it’s re-creation.

 

[boldstardex]

Ever Heard The Gospel?
OCT 23 2013
"To give His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins..." - Luke 1:77

If you're not a Christian, but you've been around Christians, you've probably heard the term "gospel." But, what does it mean? Well, the gospel is the singularly most important communication of God to man. In Jesus, who is God the Son, we have the revelation of God’s love and sacrifice that saves us from God's righteous judgment upon sinners.

So, what does that really mean to you? It means God loves you. He has a purpose for your life. He wants you to have a meaningful life. Everybody likes the sound of that!

Unfortunately, we often have a problem personally experiencing God's love, because we're separated from God due to the sin in our lives. "Sin" is missing the mark of God's best for our life. It's living life our way versus God's way. The solution is Jesus. He died for our sins. He rose from the dead, proving He is God. He is the way to God.

This calls for a decision to believe Jesus is who He says He is, and to trust Christ alone for salvation and abundant life.

That's it. That's the gospel. Do you believe it? The gospel is the good news of salvation. I hope you'll believe it and receive it.

 

[boldstardex]

Loving And Knowing
October 25, 2013 — by Julie Ackerman Link

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Romans 5:6-11
God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. —Romans 5:8
Bible in a Year:
Jeremiah 6-8; 1 Timothy 5
In a novel by Jonathan Safran Foer, one of the characters, speaking of New York’s Empire State Building, said, “I know this building because I love this building.”

That statement caused me to think about the relationship between love and knowledge. Whenever we love something, we want to know everything about it. When we love a place, we want to explore every inch of it. When we love a person, we want to know every detail of his or her life. We want to know what he likes, how she spends her time, where he grew up, who her friends are, what he believes. The list is endless. But some of us want to be loved without allowing ourselves to be known. We’re afraid that we won’t be loved if we are truly known.

We don’t have to worry about that with God. His love is far superior to ours: “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). Furthermore, He makes Himself known to us. Through creation, Scripture, and Christ, God reveals His character and His love. Because God loves us in spite of our imperfections, we can safely confess our faults to Him. With God, we need not fear being known. That’s why to know God is to love Him.

Be still and know that He is God
For pathways steep and rough,
Not what He brings, but what He is
Will always be enough. —Anon.
There is no greater joy than to know that God loves us.

 

[boldstardex]

I have a friend who reads the last chapter first when she starts a new thriller. “Takes the anxiety out of reading,” she claims. So with Christians: Because we know the end of the story, we can be centers of peace in the midst of utter chaos, calm in the face of disaster.

The apostle Paul calls this attitude “moderation” in Philippians 4:5 (kjv). It’s a term that implies “peace under pressure.” It refers to the calm and deliberate strength with which we meet the disquieting circumstances of our days. Kingdoms may fall, friends may falter, churches may fold, oceans may rise, and mountains may crumble, but we can be at peace.

How do we maintain such composure? By remembering that “the Lord is at hand” (Phil. 4:5); He is near. Our Lord is standing just outside the door ready to burst through and turn everything that’s wrong right-side up. Then this world and all its troubles will become the kingdom of our Lord, and “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Hab. 2:14).

Jesus said, “Surely I am coming quickly” (Rev. 22:20). Today could be the day! It’s the very last thing He said in the very last chapter of His book.

Lord, thank You for dispelling the fear from our lives
by letting us know the end of the story. We can rest
in the assurance that as Your followers we will one
day be with You in Your glorious, eternal kingdom.
No doctrine is more closely linked to practical daily living than that of the Lord’s return.

 

[boldstardex]

All Hallows Eve
OCT 31 2013
"And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." - Colossians 2:15

Halloween. It's a time of year when the air gets crisper, the days get shorter, and for many young Americans, the excitement grows in anticipation of shouting, “Trick or Treat?”

Many Christians refuse to participate in Halloween. Some are wary of its pagan origins; others of its dark, ghoulish imagery; still others are concerned for the safety of their children. But other Christians choose to partake of the festivities, whether participating in school activities, neighborhood trick-or-treating, or a Halloween alternative, such as Trunk or Treat, at their church.

The name "Halloween" comes from the All Saints Day celebration of the early Christian church, a day set aside for the solemn remembrance of the martyrs. “All Hallows Eve,” the evening before All Saints Day, began the time of remembrance. "All Hallows Eve" was eventually contracted to "Hallow-e'en," which became "Halloween."

The question is, “How should Christians respond to Halloween? Is it irresponsible for parents to let their children trick-or-treat? What about Christians who refuse any kind of participation during the season, or are they overreacting?”

Whatever level of Halloween participation you choose, you must honor God by keeping yourself separate from the world and by showing mercy to those who are perishing. Halloween provides the Christian with the opportunity to accomplish both of those things in the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's a message that is holy, set apart from the world; it's a message that is the very mercy of a forgiving God. What better time of the year is there to share such a message than Halloween?

 

[boldstardex]

Loved To Love
November 1, 2013 — by Julie Ackerman Link

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Deuteronomy 10:12-22
What does the Lord your God require of you, but . . . to walk in all His ways and to love Him. —Deuteronomy 10:12
Bible in a Year:
Jeremiah 24-26; Titus 2
“A heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others.” I saw this quotation, attributed to the Wizard of Oz, on a wall plaque in a gift shop.

The Wizard of Oz may be a good story, but it’s not a reliable source of spiritual information. God said something quite different. According to Him, the greatest commandment is to love—to love Him first and then others (Mark 12:29-31). Scripture says nothing about expecting to be loved in return. In fact, Jesus stated the opposite in His most famous sermon: “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven” (Matt. 5:11-12).

When it comes to love, the important thing we need to know is this: All love starts with God (1 John 4:19). As Moses told the Israelites, God delighted in them to love them (Deut. 10:15), and because of that they were to love others, even strangers (v.19). God’s intent is that the people who receive His love will become the conduit of His love to others.

Apart from God—who Himself is love—none of us could truly love or be loved (1 John 4:7-8).

“Love seeketh not her own,” and so
He did not stay as God above,
But chose a manger and a cross
To show that He was Love. —Wilmshurst
He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. —1 John 4:8

 

[boldstardex]

Who’s Telling The Truth?
November 2, 2013 — by David C. McCasland

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: John 8:31-47
Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? —John 8:46
Bible in a Year:
Jeremiah 27-29; Titus 3
During the 2012 US presidential campaign, television coverage of speeches and debates often included “fact checking” by analysts who compared the candidates’ statements with their actual records. Were they telling the truth or manipulating the facts to their advantage?

The apostle John recorded a debate between Jesus and a group of people who believed He was making false claims about Himself. Jesus told them, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). They told Him that they had never been in bondage to anyone and asked, “How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” (v.33).

As the debate continued, Jesus kept saying that He was telling them the truth (vv.34,40,45-46,51). Some believed Him, but others remained angry at Him and unconvinced.

In a sense, that debate goes on today. Those who oppose Jesus seek to discredit His statements and twist them into lies. Jesus says, “I am telling you the truth,” and promises that He will give us a freedom we can find nowhere else.

The Bible record of Jesus’ life is worth “fact checking” as we determine who we will follow. All of us have a choice to make.

Faith is believing, the promise is true,
Trusting in Jesus your strength to renew;
Resting so sweetly, secure on His Word,
Shielded from danger with Jesus the Lord. —Teasley
God’s truth stands any test.

 

[boldstardex]

Leap The Wall
November 4, 2013 — by Randy Kilgore

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Romans 12:14-21
If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. —Proverbs 25:21
Bible in a Year:
Jeremiah 32-33; Hebrews 1
Sgt. Richard Kirkland was a Confederate soldier in the US Civil War (1861–1865). When the Union’s failed charge at Marye’s Heights during the Battle of Fredericksburg left wounded soldiers abandoned in no-man’s land, Kirkland got permission to help them. Collecting canteens, he leaped the stone wall and bent over the first soldier to lend assistance. At great personal risk, the “Angel of Marye’s Heights” extended the mercy of Christ to enemy soldiers.

While few of us will face an enemy on the battlefield, those who suffer can be found all around us—people struggling against loneliness, loss, health issues, and sin. Their cries, muted by our many distractions, plead for mercy and comfort, for hope and help.

Kirkland’s example of Christlike compassion put action to Jesus’ command to “love your enemies” (Matt. 5:44). Paul expanded on that theme when he quotes Proverbs 25:21, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink” (Rom. 12:20). “Do not be overcome by evil,” he instructed us, “but overcome evil with good” (v.21).

Paul’s challenge compels us to emulate Sgt. Kirkland. Today is the day for us to “leap the wall” of safety to lend comfort from God to those in need.

Father, give me the courage to reach out to those
I may not want to reach. Show Your love
through me in ways that will bring glory to You
and true peace in my corner of the world.
Kindness is in our power even when fondness is not. —Samuel Johnson

 

[boldstardex]

Good-Behavior Rewards
November 5, 2013 — by Anne Cetas

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: 2 Corinthians 5:1-11
We make it our aim . . . to be well pleasing to [God]. —2 Corinthians 5:9
Bible in a Year:
Jeremiah 34-36; Hebrews 2
In a children’s ministry in my church, we hand out cards to the kids when we notice their good behavior. They collect the cards and receive prizes for the good choices they’ve made. We are trying to reinforce good behavior rather than focusing on bad behavior.

When one leader handed a card to 11-year-old Tyree, he responded, “No, thanks. I don’t need one; I want to behave well, and I don’t need a reward for that.” For him, doing the right thing was its own reward. He definitely has good values ingrained in him, and he wants to live them out—prize or not.

As believers in Jesus, we will receive rewards one day. Second Corinthians 5:10 says that everyone will “receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” But to get a reward should not be our motivation for right living. Neither is it to earn salvation. Living out of love for God and pleasing Him should be our heart’s desire.

When we love God, we make it our aim to please Him who first loved us (1 John 4:19) and to serve Him with pure motives (Prov. 16:2; 1 Cor. 4:5). The best reward will be to be with Him!

In all I think and say and do,
I long, O God, to honor You;
But may my highest motive be
To love the Christ who died for me. —D. DeHaan
Our desire to please God is our highest motive for obeying Him.

 

[boldstardex]

A Season For Everything
November 6, 2013 — by Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Read: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
To everything there is a season. —Ecclesiastes 3:1
Bible in a Year:
Jeremiah 37-39; Hebrews 3

In the 1960s, the folk-rock band The Byrds popularized the song “Turn! Turn! Turn!” It climbed to the top spot on theBillboard Hot 100 chart and gained worldwide popularity. People seemed captivated by the lyrics. Interestingly, though, except for the last line, those lyrics are from the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes.

“To everything there is a season,” proclaims the writer of Ecclesiastes, “a time for every purpose under heaven” (3:1). He then lists some of the seasons in human experience: birth and death, gain and loss, tears and laughter, mourning and dancing. Just as the seasons in nature change, so do the seasons in our lives. Our circumstances never stay the same for long.

Sometimes we welcome change in our lives. But often it is difficult, especially when it involves sorrow and loss. Yet even then we can be thankful that God does not change. “I am the Lord,” He said through the prophet Malachi, “I do not change” (Mal. 3:6).

Because God remains the same, we can rely on Him through the shifting seasons of life. His presence is always with us (Ps. 46:1), His peace has the power to guard our hearts (Phil. 4:7), and His love provides security for our souls (Rom. 8:39).

A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing;
Our helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing. —Luther
God’s unchanging nature is our security during seasons of change.

 

[boldstardex]

Don't Miss The Supernatural Power Of God!NOV 07 2013
"Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision." - Acts 12:9

Oftentimes, people dismiss stories about "supernatural" encounters with God or heavenly beings. Well, I'm here to tell you, the story you're going to read here is all about the supernatural!

Dana Curry and Heather Mercer, missionaries to Afghanistan, tell of Qalzai, a man that their ministry brought to Christ. As with many Muslims who convert, he was arrested, tossed into a prison cell, beaten daily, and left to await his almost certain execution.

"One night, our new Christian brother dreamed that a large strong-looking man surrounded by a glowing light suddenly appeared in his cell. The man led him out of the cell, into the prison courtyard, and out the front gates. When Qalzai awoke, he immediately assumed that it had all been just a dream and was understandably depressed. But then, as he sat up, he noticed that his cell door was open. He didn't see a guard anywhere, so he began to think, 'Hey, maybe God is up to something here!' He walked out of his cell, into the courtyard, and right through the unlocked front gate of the prison." Qalzai had experienced a miracle exactly like the one that Peter did two thousand years earlier. They had both witnessed the supernatural power of God.

God's supernatural power is still right here, right now. Keep your eyes open, so you don't miss it.

 

[boldstardex]

Remembering Our Father’s Words
November 10, 2013 — by Marvin Williams

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Psalm 119:89-93
I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have given me life. —Psalm 119:93
Bible in a Year:
Jeremiah 48-49; Hebrews 7
Jim Davidson was climbing down Mount Rainier when he fell through a snow bridge and into a crevasse (a pitch-black, ice-walled crack in a glacier). As Jim stood bloodied and bruised in that dark ice cave, he reflected on his childhood and recalled how his father had repeatedly reminded him that he could accomplish great things if he pressed through adversity. Those words helped to sustain Jim as he spent the next 5 hours climbing out of that dark ice cave to safety with very little gear and under extremely difficult circumstances.

The psalmist seemed to climb out of his own crevasse of affliction and pain by recalling his heavenly Father’s words. He admitted that if God and His Word had not sustained him with joy, he would have died in his misery (Ps. 119:92). He expressed full confidence in the Lord’s eternal Word (v.89) and in the faithfulness of His character (v.90). As a result of God’s faithfulness, the psalmist made a commitment never to forget God’s words to him because they had a central part in rescuing his life and bringing him strength.

In our darkest caves and moments of affliction, our souls can be revived by our Father in heaven when we recall and fill our minds with His encouraging words.

Thinking It Over
What crevasse of discouragement are you currently in?
How can you use this time as an occasion to revive your
soul by filling your mind and heart with God’s Word?
Remembering God’s words revives our soul.

 

[boldstardex]

Embarrassing Moments
November 12, 2013 — by Bill Crowder

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: John 8:1-11
Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” —John 8:11
Bible in a Year:
Jeremiah 51-52; Hebrews 9
The flashing lights of the police car drew my attention to a motorist who had been pulled over for a traffic violation. As the officer, ticket book in hand, walked back to his car, I could clearly see the embarrassed driver sitting helplessly behind the wheel of her car. With her hands, she attempted to block her face from the view of passersby—hoping to hide her identity. Her actions were a reminder to me of how embarrassing it can be when we are exposed by our choices and their consequences.

When a guilty woman was brought before Jesus and her immorality was exposed, the crowd did more than just watch. They called for her condemnation, but Jesus showed mercy. The only One with the right to judge sin responded to her failure with compassion. After dispatching her accusers, “Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more’” (John 8:11). His compassion reminds us of His forgiving grace, and His command to her points to His great desire that we live in the joy of that grace. Both elements show the depth of Christ’s concern for us when we stumble and fall.

Even in our most embarrassing moments of failure, we can cry out to Him and find that His grace is truly amazing.

Amazing grace—how sweet the sound—
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see. —Newton
Jesus alone can supply the grace we need for each trial we face.

 

[boldstardex]

Love With All You've Got
NOV 12 2013
"One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, 'Of all the commandments, which is the most important?' 'The most important one,' answered Jesus,‘is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.'" - Mark 12:28-31

What command of God is most important? We are to love God with all of our being, and we’re to love our neighbors as ourselves. Now, when Jesus talks about loving God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind, and with all of your strength - what is He saying? He’s talking about loving Him completely.

Have you ever fallen in love? Usually in the early days of that romance, there are some strong feelings. I remember when I fell in love with Anne. I wanted to be with her all the time. After dating her for a few weeks, one of my fraternity brothers jumped all over me. “What’s wrong with you? You don’t eat meals with us. You don’t play ball with us. The other night we were all sitting here chewing the fat in the room, and you just came in and went to bed. What’s wrong with you?” I didn’t care. Didn’t bother me a bit. My emotions, my feelings were all wrapped up in the beginning of romantic love for Anne. Well, when we get to know the love of God in Jesus, nothing else matters as much as our relationship with Him.

But, Jesus goes on and says, “The second is just as important: love your neighbor as yourself.” Unlike romantic love, this love is not based on feelings, but on Jesus’ command to love our neighbors. It means showing love and respect for them, even when they’re jerks. Wedecide to love them. Period. It doesn’t mean you are going to like them. But we show love for them. We have compassion for them. We show respect for them. We do what is right by them no matter how we feel. That’s what Jesus meant in loving our neighbors. We are to love them as God loves us.

The motive of obeying this great commandment is love. And because He loved us while we were yet sinners, we are to love our neighbor, even if they are hard to love.

 

[boldstardex]

A Piece Of The Puzzle
November 13, 2013 — by David C. McCasland

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27
God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. —1 Corinthians 12:18
Bible in a Year:
Lamentations 1-2; Hebrews 10:1-18
At her birthday celebration, the honored guest turned the tables by giving everyone at the party a gift. Kriste gave each of us a personal note expressing what we mean to her, along with encouraging words about the person God made us to be. Enclosed with every note was one piece of a jigsaw puzzle as a reminder that each of us is unique and important in God’s plan.

That experience helped me to read 1 Corinthians 12 with new eyes. Paul compared the church—the body of Christ—to a human body. Just as our physical bodies have hands, feet, eyes, and ears, all are part of a unified body. No follower of Christ can claim independence from the body, nor can one part tell another that it is not needed (vv.12-17). “God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased” (v.18).

It’s easy to feel less important than others whose gifts are different and perhaps more visible than ours. The Lord, however, wants us to see ourselves as He does—uniquely created and highly valued by Him.

You are one piece of a picture that is not complete without you. God has gifted you to be an important part of the body of Christ to bring Him honor.

Lord, help me not to compare myself with others
in Your family. May I seek instead to be the person
You’ve made me to be, and help me to use what
You’ve given me to bless others today.
Your life is God’s gift to you; make it your gift to God.

 

[boldstardex]

On Helping Others
November 14, 2013 — by Randy Kilgore

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Leviticus 19:9-15
When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. —Leviticus 19:9
Bible in a Year:
Lamentations 3-5; Hebrews 10:19-39
When snowstorms bury the grazing lands, ranchers must feed their herds by hand. As hay is tossed from wagons and trucks, the strongest animals bull their way to the front. Timid or sickly animals get little or no feed unless the rancher intervenes.

Workers in refugee camps and food pantries report a similar pattern. When they open their stores to those in need, the weak and timid may not make it to the front of the line. Like the ranchers, these human lifelines must take steps to ensure that their services reach the feeble, weary, and sick at the edge of society’s attention.

They are carrying out a principle set forth by God long ago. In Leviticus 19, Moses instructed Israel’s farmers and vintners to leave portions of their crops so the poor and the stranger could have something to eat (vv.9-10).

We too can serve as caretakers to the weak and weary. Whether we’re teachers coaxing quiet students to open up, workers coming alongside a struggling co-worker, prisoners looking out for new arrivals, or parents showing attention to their children, we have ways to honor God by helping others.

As we seek to serve those in need, may the grace of God that reached us in our need move us to reach out to others in theirs.

Father, open my eyes to those struggling to have
enough food, enough love, enough hope; then open my
heart to find ways to help them receive love, using my
hands in service to them—and through them, to You.
By serving others, we serve God.

 

[boldstardex]

Our Fearless Champion
November 15, 2013 — by Joe Stowell

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Matthew 8:23-34
Why are you fearful? —Matthew 8:26
Bible in a Year:
Ezekiel 1-2; Hebrews 11:1-19
Falling asleep was a challenging event during my childhood. No sooner had my parents turned out the lights than the crumpled clothes I had thrown on the chair would take on the form of a fiery dragon and the thoughts of something living under my bed put me into a panic that made sleep impossible.

I’ve come to realize that the immobilizing power of fear is not just a childhood experience. Fear keeps us from forgiving, taking a stand at the office, giving our resources to God’s kingdom, or saying no when all our friends are saying yes. Left to ourselves, we are up against a lot of fiery dragons in our lives.

In the story of the disciples in the storm-tossed boat, I’m struck by the fact that the only one who was not afraid was Jesus. He was not afraid of the storm, nor was He afraid of a crazy man in a graveyard or of the legion of demons that possessed him (Matt. 8:23-34).

In the face of fear, we need to hear Jesus ask, “Why are you fearful?” (v.26) and be reminded that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5-6). There is nothing that He can’t overcome and therefore nothing for Him to fear. So, next time you’re haunted by your fears, remember that you can rely on Jesus, our fearless Champion!

Lord, thank You for the reminder that You will
never leave us nor forsake us. When I am afraid, I
know that I can rely on Your presence and power
to calm my heart and overcome my fears.
In times of fear, call out to Jesus, our fearless Champion.

 

[boldstardex]

Don't Get Even! Forgive!

NOV 15 2013


"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." - Colossians 3:13

Question: Is there someone you’ve been unwilling to forgive? Who is it that comes to mind? Now, I assure you in some situations, you’re not going to be able to forgive people in your own strength. The hurt is too deep. We need to ask God to help us do what we cannot do. Ask for His supernatural power to begin to forgive that person.

You see, unwillingness to forgive is unwillingness to give control to God. Leave "getting even" up to Him. In fact, the Bible tells us, "'Vengeance is mine. I will repay,' saith the Lord." (Romans 12:19) How do you know when forgiveness is complete? For me, it’s when I’m able to see that person without having a knot in the pit of my stomach. There’s no sense of bitterness or resentment – just acceptance. Does that mean you merely trust them? Oh no - it's even greater than that. You choose to love them. It’s a great miracle that God brings about when we ask His help in forgiving others.

If you’re really struggling in this area, remember, Jesus is our ultimate example. Nobody was more innocent than Jesus. He had no sin. We murdered Him with our sins on the cross. And while we were murdering Him, He said, “Father, forgive them.” If Jesus can forgive us for that, then through His power, we can forgive others who have wronged us, no matter how awful the deed. Ask God to help you do this today. You won't believe the freedom you will find once you let go.

 

[boldstardex]

Hero Over Sin
November 17, 2013 — by Anne Cetas

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: 1 John 1
Create in me a clean heart, O God. —Psalm 51:10
Bible in a Year:
Ezekiel 5-7; Hebrews 12
Not long ago, someone asked me a very tough question: “What is the longest you have gone without sinning? A week, a day, an hour?” How can we answer a question like that? If we’re truthful, we might say, “I can’t live a day without sinning.” Or if we look back over the past week, we might see that we haven’t confessed to God even one sin. But we would be fooling ourselves if we said we hadn’t sinned in our thoughts or actions for a week.

God knows our hearts and whether we’re sensitive to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. If we really know ourselves, we take 1 John 1:8 to heart, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” We certainly don’t want verse 10 to be true of us, “If we say that we have not sinned, . . . His word is not in us.”

A more encouraging question to ask might be: “What is God’s response to our admission of sin and need for forgiveness?” The answer: “If we confess . . . , He is faithful and just to forgive us” (v.9). Jesus has taken our sin problem upon Himself by dying in our place and rising again. That’s why He can create in us “a clean heart” (Ps. 51:10). My young friend Jaydon is right when he says, “Jesus is the hero over our sins.”

No one can say he doesn’t need
Forgiveness for his sin,
For all must come to Christ by faith
To have new life within. —Branon
Christ’s forgiveness is the door to a new beginning.

 

[boldstardex]

Welcome Back
November 18, 2013 — by Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Nehemiah 9:7-21
You are God, ready to pardon, gracious and merciful. —Nehemiah 9:17
Bible in a Year:
Ezekiel 8-10; Hebrews 13
Jim decided to follow Christ at the age of 10. Fifteen years later his commitment had faded. He had adopted a live-for-the-moment philosophy and developed some bad habits. Then his life seemed to fall apart. He had problems at work. Three family members died almost simultaneously. Fears and doubts began to plague Jim, and nothing seemed to help—until one day when he read Psalm 121:2, “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” These words cut through the fear and confusion in his heart. He turned back to God for help, and God welcomed him.

Jim’s spiritual journey reminds me of ancient Israel’s history. The Israelites had a unique relationship with God—they were His chosen people (Neh. 9:1-15). However, they spent many years rebelling and ignoring God’s goodness, turning away to follow their own path (vv.16-21). Yet when they returned to Him and repented, God was “ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abundant in kindness” (v.17).

These divine qualities encourage us to draw near to God—even after we have wandered away from Him. When we humbly abandon our rebellious ways and recommit ourselves to God’s ways, He will show compassion and welcome us back to closeness with Him.

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me;
See on the portals He’s waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me. —Thompson
God’s arms of welcome are always open.