Common Language
by Dave Branon
Read: Acts 17:22-32
As I was . . . considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: To The Unknown God. —Acts 17:23
During the high schoolers’ spring ministry trip to Jamaica, they visited a home for troubled teens who had run afoul of the law or whose families could not handle them.
This was not a comfortable situation for the kids from either culture. What would they say? How would they connect?
It didn’t take long to find out. Minutes after they arrived, a soccer match began as a number of the US students engaged some of the Jamaican teens in spirited competition.
The soccer match was a great icebreaker as the kids kicked the ball around and got to know each other. After the game, conversation was easier and friendships were established more quickly because of a common interest.
In Acts 17, the apostle Paul demonstrated how to break through barriers and establish dialogue. He talked with the Athenians about something of common interest—worship. In a similar way, we can use sports talk with a co-worker or lawn conversation with a neighbor. The possibilities are endless.
To reach out to people who need to hear about God’s love, look for common language—and watch the barriers fall.
The Spirit of God can reach my neighbor,
Providing the gift of salvation,
If I am ready to open the way
By starting a good conversation. —Hess
God’s love can break down barriers.
our daily bread
Monday, August 30, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Contentment
by Albert Lee
Read: Philippians 4:4-13
In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. —1 Thessalonians 5:18
A poet once wrote: “As a rule, man’s a fool. When it’s hot, he wants it cool. And when it’s cool, he wants it hot. Always wanting what is not.”
What an insightful observation on human nature! So when we read in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” we wonder, Can this be possible?
For Paul it was. Philippians 4:12-13 describes Paul’s response to life: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength” (NIV). Paul’s relationship with God superseded whatever he did or did not have. His contentment was not based on his circumstances, but on his relationship with Christ.
Paul reminds us that contentment doesn’t happen overnight. It’s something that we learn. As our relationship with God develops over time and through experiences, we learn to trust God more and ourselves less. Paul knew that Christ would give him the strength to persevere in whatever situation he encountered (v.13).
No matter what you’re facing today, through prayer you can receive the strength to be content.
The world is filled with so much good
That brings us joy and pleasure,
But true fulfillment only comes
When Christ we love and treasure. —Sper
We find contentment at the same place we find salvation—in Christ.
our daily bread
by Albert Lee
Read: Philippians 4:4-13
In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. —1 Thessalonians 5:18
A poet once wrote: “As a rule, man’s a fool. When it’s hot, he wants it cool. And when it’s cool, he wants it hot. Always wanting what is not.”
What an insightful observation on human nature! So when we read in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” we wonder, Can this be possible?
For Paul it was. Philippians 4:12-13 describes Paul’s response to life: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength” (NIV). Paul’s relationship with God superseded whatever he did or did not have. His contentment was not based on his circumstances, but on his relationship with Christ.
Paul reminds us that contentment doesn’t happen overnight. It’s something that we learn. As our relationship with God develops over time and through experiences, we learn to trust God more and ourselves less. Paul knew that Christ would give him the strength to persevere in whatever situation he encountered (v.13).
No matter what you’re facing today, through prayer you can receive the strength to be content.
The world is filled with so much good
That brings us joy and pleasure,
But true fulfillment only comes
When Christ we love and treasure. —Sper
We find contentment at the same place we find salvation—in Christ.
our daily bread
Monday, August 23, 2010
Confidence In Scripture
by Dennis Fisher
Read: 2 Peter 1:3-16
We did not follow cunningly devised fables . . . but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. —2 Peter 1:16
The Narnia children’s books written by C. S. Lewis symbolize Christian truth. In the tale Prince Caspian, Lewis tells the story of a tyrant who usurped the throne of the enchanted land of Narnia. His young nephew, Prince Caspian, has heard stories of Narnia’s great king who died and rose again to break the power of evil. His uncle dismisses this story as a fairy tale. However, the boy later discovers that the ancient story is in fact true.
Lewis’ intent was to illustrate how skeptics often dismiss the ancient story of Christ as a myth. But, like biblical scholars today, Lewis was convinced that based on the historic evidence, the record of Jesus’ supernatural life is true. Sir Frederic Kenyon, former director of the British Museum, held a similar conviction about Scripture’s reliability. Of this he wrote, “Both the authenticity and the general integrity of the books of the New Testament may be regarded as . . . established.”
The apostles had the same confidence in the record of Jesus: “We did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Peter 1:16).
We can be assured that the biblical account of the King of kings is an accurate historical record.
The skeptic questions, doubts, and scoffs,
Protesting truths we hold so dear;
But God’s Word stands, its truth remains,
Proclaiming what we need to hear. —K. De Haan
In a changing world you can trust God’s unchanging Word.
our daily bread
by Dennis Fisher
Read: 2 Peter 1:3-16
We did not follow cunningly devised fables . . . but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. —2 Peter 1:16
The Narnia children’s books written by C. S. Lewis symbolize Christian truth. In the tale Prince Caspian, Lewis tells the story of a tyrant who usurped the throne of the enchanted land of Narnia. His young nephew, Prince Caspian, has heard stories of Narnia’s great king who died and rose again to break the power of evil. His uncle dismisses this story as a fairy tale. However, the boy later discovers that the ancient story is in fact true.
Lewis’ intent was to illustrate how skeptics often dismiss the ancient story of Christ as a myth. But, like biblical scholars today, Lewis was convinced that based on the historic evidence, the record of Jesus’ supernatural life is true. Sir Frederic Kenyon, former director of the British Museum, held a similar conviction about Scripture’s reliability. Of this he wrote, “Both the authenticity and the general integrity of the books of the New Testament may be regarded as . . . established.”
The apostles had the same confidence in the record of Jesus: “We did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Peter 1:16).
We can be assured that the biblical account of the King of kings is an accurate historical record.
The skeptic questions, doubts, and scoffs,
Protesting truths we hold so dear;
But God’s Word stands, its truth remains,
Proclaiming what we need to hear. —K. De Haan
In a changing world you can trust God’s unchanging Word.
our daily bread
Saturday, August 21, 2010
BE A METER READER
“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.” Psalm 1:1
Do you remember how old-time TV shows used to have an applause meter to gauge audience reactions? A big arrow would spin around the dial to show how enthusiastic the crowd was—or wasn’t—about what had just happened onstage. It wasn’t particularly scientific, but it provided quick feedback!
When I think about how we feel about God’s rules, I wonder if heaven has one of those meters. Well, not really, but there is one in your heart that God can read, so let’s talk about it. The arrow on your heart meter reflects your honest, instinctive response to God’s Word and His laws. Across the dial are five attitudes that, at any given moment, reflect how you really react to God’s rules for you.
All the way on the left side of the dial is the word disdain. Ever feel like God’s rules are oppressive, restrictive barriers to your pleasure and dreadfully outdated? Then the arrow might just be buried in the low end of the meter of your heart.
Next up on the dial is the word doubt. Those of us who wonder if God’s rules are good and for our best will register in the doubt category. But, be warned, Satan’s oldest tactic for plunging lives into shame and isolation from a loving God was planting seeds of doubt about the goodness of God and His Word (Genesis 3:1). Surprisingly, the tactic still works—fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me!
At the center of the dial is duty. Is obedience to God’s laws a legalistic obligation for you? Something that you have to do since you are a Christian with a virtual score sheet of do’s and don’ts that help you keep track of how you’re doing? If you are externally conformed, but your heart is far from Him and His laws feel heavy with the only reward being the ugly sin of pride in your own goodness, then you’re a dutiful but dull law keeper.
Further to the right, the arrow moves to the word devotion. This is closer to where God wants us to be. Those of us who land here obey God’s rules out of our love for Him. And while there is nothing wrong with that and much to be commended for it, there is still another point on the pleasing God meter that the psalmist urges us to qualify for.
Which explains why David cranks the arrow on the meter all the way over to the farthest extreme: delight. He writes that the truly blessed person delights in the law of the Lord!
What does that mean? Well, the Hebrew term used here actually means to be “emotionally preoccupied with.” It’s kind of like being in love. It’s all that you can think about. Other thoughts and conversations get drowned out by your overwhelming preoccupation. Imagine what our lives would look like if we truly became emotionally preoccupied with the profound goodness of God’s rules.
So, what would it take to move the arrow of your meter to the delight position? Try spending time reflecting on the character of the Lawgiver. You have a Father who loves you, who wants to protect you, and who offers His rules as His loving way to keep you safe and offer you true freedom from Satan’s deceitful and destructive ways. And, when you obey His rules and experience the peace, joy, and cleansing that it brings to your life, you’ll delight with the psalmist who wrote that God’s rules are “sweeter than honey to my mouth” (Psalm 119:103)!
Take a meter reading today, and bury the needle deep in the “delight” end of the meter. When you do, heaven’s applause meter may just go off the charts because of your love for His law!
YOUR JOURNEY…
Honesty time: How would you characterize your attitude toward God’s law—disdain, doubt, duty, devotion, or delight?
strength for the journey
“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.” Psalm 1:1
Do you remember how old-time TV shows used to have an applause meter to gauge audience reactions? A big arrow would spin around the dial to show how enthusiastic the crowd was—or wasn’t—about what had just happened onstage. It wasn’t particularly scientific, but it provided quick feedback!
When I think about how we feel about God’s rules, I wonder if heaven has one of those meters. Well, not really, but there is one in your heart that God can read, so let’s talk about it. The arrow on your heart meter reflects your honest, instinctive response to God’s Word and His laws. Across the dial are five attitudes that, at any given moment, reflect how you really react to God’s rules for you.
All the way on the left side of the dial is the word disdain. Ever feel like God’s rules are oppressive, restrictive barriers to your pleasure and dreadfully outdated? Then the arrow might just be buried in the low end of the meter of your heart.
Next up on the dial is the word doubt. Those of us who wonder if God’s rules are good and for our best will register in the doubt category. But, be warned, Satan’s oldest tactic for plunging lives into shame and isolation from a loving God was planting seeds of doubt about the goodness of God and His Word (Genesis 3:1). Surprisingly, the tactic still works—fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me!
At the center of the dial is duty. Is obedience to God’s laws a legalistic obligation for you? Something that you have to do since you are a Christian with a virtual score sheet of do’s and don’ts that help you keep track of how you’re doing? If you are externally conformed, but your heart is far from Him and His laws feel heavy with the only reward being the ugly sin of pride in your own goodness, then you’re a dutiful but dull law keeper.
Further to the right, the arrow moves to the word devotion. This is closer to where God wants us to be. Those of us who land here obey God’s rules out of our love for Him. And while there is nothing wrong with that and much to be commended for it, there is still another point on the pleasing God meter that the psalmist urges us to qualify for.
Which explains why David cranks the arrow on the meter all the way over to the farthest extreme: delight. He writes that the truly blessed person delights in the law of the Lord!
What does that mean? Well, the Hebrew term used here actually means to be “emotionally preoccupied with.” It’s kind of like being in love. It’s all that you can think about. Other thoughts and conversations get drowned out by your overwhelming preoccupation. Imagine what our lives would look like if we truly became emotionally preoccupied with the profound goodness of God’s rules.
So, what would it take to move the arrow of your meter to the delight position? Try spending time reflecting on the character of the Lawgiver. You have a Father who loves you, who wants to protect you, and who offers His rules as His loving way to keep you safe and offer you true freedom from Satan’s deceitful and destructive ways. And, when you obey His rules and experience the peace, joy, and cleansing that it brings to your life, you’ll delight with the psalmist who wrote that God’s rules are “sweeter than honey to my mouth” (Psalm 119:103)!
Take a meter reading today, and bury the needle deep in the “delight” end of the meter. When you do, heaven’s applause meter may just go off the charts because of your love for His law!
YOUR JOURNEY…
Honesty time: How would you characterize your attitude toward God’s law—disdain, doubt, duty, devotion, or delight?
What changes in your thinking might help move the arrow on your meter further to the right?
Think of one or two laws of God that you can delight in because you see how they are lovingly in place for your protection. Spend some time thanking God for those laws and delight in them today. It’s a great start!
strength for the journey
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
True Prosperity
by Joe Stowell
Read: Mark 10:17-23
How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! —Mark 10:23
A few years ago, the banking empire Citicorp ran a series of billboards about money: “Money changes hands—just be sure it doesn’t change the rest of you!” and “If people say you’re made of money, you should work on your personality!” These ads gave a refreshingly new perspective on riches.
God also has a surprising spin on wealth. From His perspective, you can be “well off” when it comes to worldly treasures and yet be in dire poverty in your soul. Or you can be poor in terms of earthside stuff and be lavishly rich by God’s standards.
The distorting power of wealth reminds me of the story of the rich young ruler. After a discussion about eternal life, Jesus asked him to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him. Unfortunately, the man “went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions” (Mark 10:22). This prompted Jesus’ lesson to the disciples: “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (v.23).
It’s not that Jesus is against wealth. It’s just that He is grieved by anything that we value more than Him. We can work hard and make money, but when those things are the main pursuit of life, then Jesus isn’t. Placing Him first and foremost in our lives is the key to true prosperity.
He possessed all the world had to give him,
He had reached every coveted goal;
But, alas, his life was a failure,
For he had forgotten his soul. —Denison
Don’t let riches—or the pursuit of riches— derail your pursuit of Jesus.
our daily bread
by Joe Stowell
Read: Mark 10:17-23
How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! —Mark 10:23
A few years ago, the banking empire Citicorp ran a series of billboards about money: “Money changes hands—just be sure it doesn’t change the rest of you!” and “If people say you’re made of money, you should work on your personality!” These ads gave a refreshingly new perspective on riches.
God also has a surprising spin on wealth. From His perspective, you can be “well off” when it comes to worldly treasures and yet be in dire poverty in your soul. Or you can be poor in terms of earthside stuff and be lavishly rich by God’s standards.
The distorting power of wealth reminds me of the story of the rich young ruler. After a discussion about eternal life, Jesus asked him to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him. Unfortunately, the man “went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions” (Mark 10:22). This prompted Jesus’ lesson to the disciples: “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (v.23).
It’s not that Jesus is against wealth. It’s just that He is grieved by anything that we value more than Him. We can work hard and make money, but when those things are the main pursuit of life, then Jesus isn’t. Placing Him first and foremost in our lives is the key to true prosperity.
He possessed all the world had to give him,
He had reached every coveted goal;
But, alas, his life was a failure,
For he had forgotten his soul. —Denison
Don’t let riches—or the pursuit of riches— derail your pursuit of Jesus.
our daily bread
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
taking God for granted
by marvin williams
2 Samuel 6:1-15
Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling (Psalm 2:11).
My wife and I have been married for 16 years. But, to my own embarrassment, there have been times when I’ve taken her for granted. I’ve been so familiar with her presence that I’ve been insensitive to her needs and wants.
Just as it’s not healthy to take our spouses for granted, King David would say it’s not healthy to take God for granted. Desiring to unite the nation spiritually, David went to retrieve the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim, where it had been located for over 25 years. They transported the ark on a new cart (2 Samuel 6:3). It must have been classy and convenient. But as they transported the precious piece, the oxen stumbled, and a man named Uzzah reached out—with good intentions— to stabilize the ark. And when he touched it, God’s judgment broke out against him and he died (v.7).
David became angry and afraid of God, and he decided to abandon the mission (v.10). Could it be that God had responded with such drastic measures because David had taken Him for granted? Had the king ignored God’s standards (Numbers 4:15,20; Deuteronomy 10:8) or failed to inquire how he should transport the ark? David assumed he knew what God would approve. In this failure, David had begun to trifle with God’s holiness.
This dramatic episode presents some vital truths:
(1) We must revere God and never attempt to manipulate Him. This narrative reveals how God feels about placing our preferences ahead of His purposes.
(2) Obedience to God’s specific will is more important than good intentions. Coming close to doing God’s will is not enough.
Let’s pay close attention to our relationship with God, not allowing privilege to become presumption. May we approach Him with awe and according to His revealed will!
our daily journey with God
by marvin williams
2 Samuel 6:1-15
Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling (Psalm 2:11).
My wife and I have been married for 16 years. But, to my own embarrassment, there have been times when I’ve taken her for granted. I’ve been so familiar with her presence that I’ve been insensitive to her needs and wants.
Just as it’s not healthy to take our spouses for granted, King David would say it’s not healthy to take God for granted. Desiring to unite the nation spiritually, David went to retrieve the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim, where it had been located for over 25 years. They transported the ark on a new cart (2 Samuel 6:3). It must have been classy and convenient. But as they transported the precious piece, the oxen stumbled, and a man named Uzzah reached out—with good intentions— to stabilize the ark. And when he touched it, God’s judgment broke out against him and he died (v.7).
David became angry and afraid of God, and he decided to abandon the mission (v.10). Could it be that God had responded with such drastic measures because David had taken Him for granted? Had the king ignored God’s standards (Numbers 4:15,20; Deuteronomy 10:8) or failed to inquire how he should transport the ark? David assumed he knew what God would approve. In this failure, David had begun to trifle with God’s holiness.
This dramatic episode presents some vital truths:
(1) We must revere God and never attempt to manipulate Him. This narrative reveals how God feels about placing our preferences ahead of His purposes.
(2) Obedience to God’s specific will is more important than good intentions. Coming close to doing God’s will is not enough.
Let’s pay close attention to our relationship with God, not allowing privilege to become presumption. May we approach Him with awe and according to His revealed will!
our daily journey with God
Monday, August 16, 2010
Mightier Than All
by C. P. Hia
Read: Psalm 93
The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength. —Psalm 93:1
Iguazu Falls on the border of Brazil and Argentina is a spectacular waterfall system of 275 falls along 2.7 km (1.67 miles) of the Iguazu River. Etched on a wall on the Brazilian side of the Falls are the words of Psalm 93:4, “Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty!” (RSV). Below it are these words, “God is always greater than all of our troubles.”
The writer of Psalm 93, who penned its words during the time that kings reigned, knew that God is the ultimate King over all. “The Lord reigns,” he wrote. “Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting” (vv.1-2). No matter how high the floods or waves, the Lord remains greater than them all.
The roar of a waterfall is truly majestic, but it is quite a different matter to be in the water hurtling toward the falls. That may be the situation you are in today. Physical, financial, or relational problems loom ever larger and you feel like you are about to go over the falls. In such situations, the Christian has Someone to turn to. He is the Lord, “who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20) for He is greater than all of our troubles.
If you are helpless in life’s fray,
God’s mighty power will be your stay;
Your failing strength He will renew,
For He’s a God who cares for you. —D. De Haan
Never measure God’s unlimited power by your limited expectations.
our daily bread
by C. P. Hia
Read: Psalm 93
The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength. —Psalm 93:1
Iguazu Falls on the border of Brazil and Argentina is a spectacular waterfall system of 275 falls along 2.7 km (1.67 miles) of the Iguazu River. Etched on a wall on the Brazilian side of the Falls are the words of Psalm 93:4, “Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty!” (RSV). Below it are these words, “God is always greater than all of our troubles.”
The writer of Psalm 93, who penned its words during the time that kings reigned, knew that God is the ultimate King over all. “The Lord reigns,” he wrote. “Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting” (vv.1-2). No matter how high the floods or waves, the Lord remains greater than them all.
The roar of a waterfall is truly majestic, but it is quite a different matter to be in the water hurtling toward the falls. That may be the situation you are in today. Physical, financial, or relational problems loom ever larger and you feel like you are about to go over the falls. In such situations, the Christian has Someone to turn to. He is the Lord, “who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20) for He is greater than all of our troubles.
If you are helpless in life’s fray,
God’s mighty power will be your stay;
Your failing strength He will renew,
For He’s a God who cares for you. —D. De Haan
Never measure God’s unlimited power by your limited expectations.
our daily bread
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Now Is Not Forever
by Julie Ackerman Link
Read: Revelation 21:1-5
There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. —Revelation 21:4
Think about how good it will feel when it stops hurting,” said my father. I received this advice from Dad often while I was growing up, usually after some minor bump or scrape had resulted in a major dramatic reaction. At the time, the advice didn’t help. I was incapable of focusing on anything other than my pain, and loud wails accompanied by buckets of tears seemed the only appropriate response.
Through the years, however, Dad’s advice has pulled me through some truly miserable situations. Whether it was the pain of a broken heart or the misery of a drawn-out illness, I would remind myself: Now is not forever.
The confidence we have as Christians is that God has something good planned for us. Suffering was not part of His original act of creation, but it serves as a temporary reminder of what happens in a world where God’s order has been broken. It also motivates us to spread the word about God’s plan to redeem the world from the suffering caused by sin.
Although we cannot avoid pain and disappointment (John 16:33), we know that it’s only temporary. Some sorrow will be relieved in this life, but all of it will be relieved when God finally and firmly establishes His new heaven and new earth (Rev. 21:1). Now is not forever.
We’ll catch the broken thread again,
And finish what we here began;
Heaven will the mysteries explain,
And then, ah, then, we’ll understand. —Cornelius
The gains of heaven will more than compensate for the losses of earth.
our daily bread
by Julie Ackerman Link
Read: Revelation 21:1-5
There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. —Revelation 21:4
Think about how good it will feel when it stops hurting,” said my father. I received this advice from Dad often while I was growing up, usually after some minor bump or scrape had resulted in a major dramatic reaction. At the time, the advice didn’t help. I was incapable of focusing on anything other than my pain, and loud wails accompanied by buckets of tears seemed the only appropriate response.
Through the years, however, Dad’s advice has pulled me through some truly miserable situations. Whether it was the pain of a broken heart or the misery of a drawn-out illness, I would remind myself: Now is not forever.
The confidence we have as Christians is that God has something good planned for us. Suffering was not part of His original act of creation, but it serves as a temporary reminder of what happens in a world where God’s order has been broken. It also motivates us to spread the word about God’s plan to redeem the world from the suffering caused by sin.
Although we cannot avoid pain and disappointment (John 16:33), we know that it’s only temporary. Some sorrow will be relieved in this life, but all of it will be relieved when God finally and firmly establishes His new heaven and new earth (Rev. 21:1). Now is not forever.
We’ll catch the broken thread again,
And finish what we here began;
Heaven will the mysteries explain,
And then, ah, then, we’ll understand. —Cornelius
The gains of heaven will more than compensate for the losses of earth.
our daily bread
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The Life That Matters
by David H. Roper
Read: 1 Peter 5:1-7
Remember those . . . who have spoken the Word of God to you, whose faith follow. —Hebrews 13:7
Isaac Hann was a little-known pastor who served a small church in Loughwood, England, in the mid-18th century. At the close of his ministry, the membership of the church numbered 26 women and 7 men. And only 4 of the men attended with any regularity.
In this age of mass media and mega-churches, who would consider this a successful work? In our world today, Isaac Hann would be considered one of those pastors who never quite “made it.” He certainly wouldn’t have been invited to speak at pastors’ conferences, nor would he have written articles on church growth.
Yet, when he died at 88 his parishioners placed a plaque on the wall of their meeting house that remains to this day. It reads in part:
Few ministers so humble were, yet few so much admired: Ripened for heaven by grace divine, like autumn fruit he fell;
Reader think not to live so long, but seek to live as well.
First Peter 5:5-6 comes to mind: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” Reverend Isaac Hann “made it big” in a way that matters—humility before God and a reward in heaven. We can too.
True greatness does not come to those Who strive for worldly fame, It lies instead with those who choose To serve in Jesus’ name. —D. De Haan
Humility is the recipe for success.
our daily bread
by David H. Roper
Read: 1 Peter 5:1-7
Remember those . . . who have spoken the Word of God to you, whose faith follow. —Hebrews 13:7
Isaac Hann was a little-known pastor who served a small church in Loughwood, England, in the mid-18th century. At the close of his ministry, the membership of the church numbered 26 women and 7 men. And only 4 of the men attended with any regularity.
In this age of mass media and mega-churches, who would consider this a successful work? In our world today, Isaac Hann would be considered one of those pastors who never quite “made it.” He certainly wouldn’t have been invited to speak at pastors’ conferences, nor would he have written articles on church growth.
Yet, when he died at 88 his parishioners placed a plaque on the wall of their meeting house that remains to this day. It reads in part:
Few ministers so humble were, yet few so much admired: Ripened for heaven by grace divine, like autumn fruit he fell;
Reader think not to live so long, but seek to live as well.
First Peter 5:5-6 comes to mind: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” Reverend Isaac Hann “made it big” in a way that matters—humility before God and a reward in heaven. We can too.
True greatness does not come to those Who strive for worldly fame, It lies instead with those who choose To serve in Jesus’ name. —D. De Haan
Humility is the recipe for success.
our daily bread
Monday, August 09, 2010
A Gnat Lesson
by Dennis Fisher
Read: Exodus 8:16-19
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. —Hebrews 3:8
During one of my daily walks, I inadvertently walked through a small tornado of little insects. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but later on I found all kinds of bites on my ankles and arms. It seems I had walked through a swarm of gnats, whose bites led to uncomfortable itching and sores.
This experience gave me a new perspective on the plague of gnats that God visited upon Egypt when Phar-aoh would not free the Israelites. The Hebrew word translated “lice” in Exodus 8:16-18 can also mean “gnats” or “mosquitoes.” Because the insects are compared to the sand of the desert, a swarm of gnats seems the most likely. The pagan priests of Pharaoh who prided themselves in their frequent washings and shavings were now covered with numerous insect bites. God had designed this plague to get Pharaoh to repent and let Israel go, but instead he hardened his heart.
Is God trying to get your attention through some circumstances in your life? Is He trying to persuade you to get back in step with Him? (Gal. 5:25). We should resist the urge to harden our hearts. But let’s instead submit to God (James 4:6-8) and ask Him what spiritual lessons He wants us to learn.
The sun that hardens clay to brick
Can soften wax to shape and mold;
So too life’s trials will harden some,
While others purify as gold. —Sper
God makes us miserable through conviction to make us joyful through confession.
our daily bread
by Dennis Fisher
Read: Exodus 8:16-19
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. —Hebrews 3:8
During one of my daily walks, I inadvertently walked through a small tornado of little insects. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but later on I found all kinds of bites on my ankles and arms. It seems I had walked through a swarm of gnats, whose bites led to uncomfortable itching and sores.
This experience gave me a new perspective on the plague of gnats that God visited upon Egypt when Phar-aoh would not free the Israelites. The Hebrew word translated “lice” in Exodus 8:16-18 can also mean “gnats” or “mosquitoes.” Because the insects are compared to the sand of the desert, a swarm of gnats seems the most likely. The pagan priests of Pharaoh who prided themselves in their frequent washings and shavings were now covered with numerous insect bites. God had designed this plague to get Pharaoh to repent and let Israel go, but instead he hardened his heart.
Is God trying to get your attention through some circumstances in your life? Is He trying to persuade you to get back in step with Him? (Gal. 5:25). We should resist the urge to harden our hearts. But let’s instead submit to God (James 4:6-8) and ask Him what spiritual lessons He wants us to learn.
The sun that hardens clay to brick
Can soften wax to shape and mold;
So too life’s trials will harden some,
While others purify as gold. —Sper
God makes us miserable through conviction to make us joyful through confession.
our daily bread
Friday, August 06, 2010
The Devil Made Me Do It
by Marvin Williams
Read: James 1:12-18
Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. —James 1:14
In March 2009, a 62-year-old woman was charged with stealing more than $73,000 from her church in the state of Washington. When the detectives interrogated her, she told them: “Satan had a big part in the theft.” It sounds like she was saying that the devil made her do it.
Satan may have played a role in her choices, but she has some faulty thinking about temptation and sin. The devil tempts believers, but he doesn’t make us sin. James tells us that God isn’t to blame either: “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone” (James 1:13). He is good and holy.
So who is to blame for our sin? James says, “Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed” (v.14). Just as a fisherman uses bait to lure his prey, so our own evil, unchecked desires lead to giving in to temptation and sin.
When we disobey God by sinning, let’s not shift the blame or justify our actions with the faulty “the devil made me do it” theology. Instead, let’s take full responsibility for our actions, confess our sins to a gracious and forgiving Father, and pursue right living again.
It’s wise to flee when tempted—
A fool is one who’d stay;
For those who toy with evil
Soon learn it doesn’t pay. —D. De Haan
When we sin, the blame lies within.
our daily bread
by Marvin Williams
Read: James 1:12-18
Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. —James 1:14
In March 2009, a 62-year-old woman was charged with stealing more than $73,000 from her church in the state of Washington. When the detectives interrogated her, she told them: “Satan had a big part in the theft.” It sounds like she was saying that the devil made her do it.
Satan may have played a role in her choices, but she has some faulty thinking about temptation and sin. The devil tempts believers, but he doesn’t make us sin. James tells us that God isn’t to blame either: “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone” (James 1:13). He is good and holy.
So who is to blame for our sin? James says, “Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed” (v.14). Just as a fisherman uses bait to lure his prey, so our own evil, unchecked desires lead to giving in to temptation and sin.
When we disobey God by sinning, let’s not shift the blame or justify our actions with the faulty “the devil made me do it” theology. Instead, let’s take full responsibility for our actions, confess our sins to a gracious and forgiving Father, and pursue right living again.
It’s wise to flee when tempted—
A fool is one who’d stay;
For those who toy with evil
Soon learn it doesn’t pay. —D. De Haan
When we sin, the blame lies within.
our daily bread
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
WHAT'S REALLY GOOD FOR US?
by Joe Stowell
“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.”
1 Corinthians 6:18
U.S. News & World Report previously ran a cover story entitled “The Trouble with Premarital Sex.” The subtitle was, “Americans don’t think it’s too much of a problem. Maybe they should.” The gist of the article was that sexual freedom does not deliver true intimacy. Jennifer Grossman, a 30-year-old single woman and contributor for MSNBC-TV, gave the most telling statement in a sidebar interview entitled “Was It Good for Us?” Grossman, a self-described libertarian, said:
“I used to complain to my mother, who is a liberal, about how boyfriends seem commitment shy. And she would say, ‘Well, why buy the cow if the milk is for free?’” Jennifer continued, “We’re in the sexual promised land now, the milk is free, people are surfeited with sex—and yet we’re starved for love . . . The acceptance, even encouragement of premarital sex makes it very difficult to sustain the fantasy that we are loved alone.”
Jennifer’s musings are telling. As she points out, all of us have a deep, soul-level desire to be loved exclusively, and the “sexual promised land” does not fulfill that need. Yet this generation is sold out to the idea that the rewards of intimacy can be had in an endless series of hook-ups between any two people who feel the urge.
God’s Word has much to say on this topic. Even though our culture today accepts immorality as “the norm,” the Bible says it has been a problem for centuries. In fact, Paul had to write to the members of the church at Corinth about their conduct in this area.
He told them to “flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). Seems pretty clear to me—he’s saying, “Don’t have anything to do with it!” Treat it like the potential disaster that it is. Like a semi coming at you when you’re in the middle of the street. You don’t stand there and look it up and down and try to decide what to do. The course of action is clear. Get out of there!
But how different is this compared to the casual way that the world approaches this issue? The world says, “Hey, the milk’s free, jump into bed with anyone you find attractive. Go ahead and experiment—it’s no big deal.” Not true. Millions could testify that if you live to do whatever your sex drive tells you to do, you’ll be disappointed, damaged, and full of regret.
The truth is that promiscuity harms us both emotionally and physically. As Paul goes on to say in 1 Corinthians 6, the one “who sins sexually sins against his own body.” In essence, you’re hurting yourself. People who lead promiscuous lives suffer from desensitized emotions, loss of self-worth, regret, disease, and unplanned pregnancy. I think we all agree that this stuff is a high price to pay for a few moments of pleasure here and there.
Ready for some good news? You don’t have to stay in bondage to sexual sin. Paul reminds us, “you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (v.11). The truth is that we are loved truly and exclusively when we strike up a relationship with Jesus. When we live in His love we will never ask, “Was it good for us?”
YOUR JOURNEY…
David committed sexual sin, but God forgave Him. Read Psalm 51, and jot down a few observations about the way David approached God to ask for forgiveness in this area. How does this apply to you or someone you know?
Are you flirting with sexual immorality in your life? Read the story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife in Genesis 39. What should you do when sexual sin tries to entice you?
Have you been hurt by promiscuity in the past? Pray and ask God to help you heal from the wounds. Recommit yourself to obey God and live a life of purity.
daily strength
by Joe Stowell
“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.”
1 Corinthians 6:18
U.S. News & World Report previously ran a cover story entitled “The Trouble with Premarital Sex.” The subtitle was, “Americans don’t think it’s too much of a problem. Maybe they should.” The gist of the article was that sexual freedom does not deliver true intimacy. Jennifer Grossman, a 30-year-old single woman and contributor for MSNBC-TV, gave the most telling statement in a sidebar interview entitled “Was It Good for Us?” Grossman, a self-described libertarian, said:
“I used to complain to my mother, who is a liberal, about how boyfriends seem commitment shy. And she would say, ‘Well, why buy the cow if the milk is for free?’” Jennifer continued, “We’re in the sexual promised land now, the milk is free, people are surfeited with sex—and yet we’re starved for love . . . The acceptance, even encouragement of premarital sex makes it very difficult to sustain the fantasy that we are loved alone.”
Jennifer’s musings are telling. As she points out, all of us have a deep, soul-level desire to be loved exclusively, and the “sexual promised land” does not fulfill that need. Yet this generation is sold out to the idea that the rewards of intimacy can be had in an endless series of hook-ups between any two people who feel the urge.
God’s Word has much to say on this topic. Even though our culture today accepts immorality as “the norm,” the Bible says it has been a problem for centuries. In fact, Paul had to write to the members of the church at Corinth about their conduct in this area.
He told them to “flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). Seems pretty clear to me—he’s saying, “Don’t have anything to do with it!” Treat it like the potential disaster that it is. Like a semi coming at you when you’re in the middle of the street. You don’t stand there and look it up and down and try to decide what to do. The course of action is clear. Get out of there!
But how different is this compared to the casual way that the world approaches this issue? The world says, “Hey, the milk’s free, jump into bed with anyone you find attractive. Go ahead and experiment—it’s no big deal.” Not true. Millions could testify that if you live to do whatever your sex drive tells you to do, you’ll be disappointed, damaged, and full of regret.
The truth is that promiscuity harms us both emotionally and physically. As Paul goes on to say in 1 Corinthians 6, the one “who sins sexually sins against his own body.” In essence, you’re hurting yourself. People who lead promiscuous lives suffer from desensitized emotions, loss of self-worth, regret, disease, and unplanned pregnancy. I think we all agree that this stuff is a high price to pay for a few moments of pleasure here and there.
Ready for some good news? You don’t have to stay in bondage to sexual sin. Paul reminds us, “you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (v.11). The truth is that we are loved truly and exclusively when we strike up a relationship with Jesus. When we live in His love we will never ask, “Was it good for us?”
YOUR JOURNEY…
David committed sexual sin, but God forgave Him. Read Psalm 51, and jot down a few observations about the way David approached God to ask for forgiveness in this area. How does this apply to you or someone you know?
Are you flirting with sexual immorality in your life? Read the story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife in Genesis 39. What should you do when sexual sin tries to entice you?
Have you been hurt by promiscuity in the past? Pray and ask God to help you heal from the wounds. Recommit yourself to obey God and live a life of purity.
daily strength
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
The Teaching of Adversity
In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world —John 16:33
The typical view of the Christian life is that it means being delivered from all adversity. But it actually means being delivered in adversity, which is something very different. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling . . .” ( Psalm 91:1,10 )— the place where you are at one with God.
If you are a child of God, you will certainly encounter adversities, but Jesus says you should not be surprised when they come. “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” He is saying, “There is nothing for you to fear.” The same people who refused to talk about their adversities before they were saved often complain and worry after being born again because they have the wrong idea of what it means to live the life of a saint.
God does not give us overcoming life— He gives us life as we overcome. The strain of life is what builds our strength. If there is no strain, there will be no strength. Are you asking God to give you life, liberty, and joy? He cannot, unless you are willing to accept the strain. And once you face the strain, you will immediately get the strength. Overcome your own timidity and take the first step. Then God will give you nourishment— “To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life . . .” (Revelation 2:7 ). If you completely give of yourself physically, you become exhausted. But when you give of yourself spiritually, you get more strength. God never gives us strength for tomorrow, or for the next hour, but only for the strain of the moment. Our temptation is to face adversities from the standpoint of our own common sense. But a saint can “be of good cheer” even when seemingly defeated by adversities, because victory is absurdly impossible to everyone, except God.
my utmost for his highest
In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world —John 16:33
The typical view of the Christian life is that it means being delivered from all adversity. But it actually means being delivered in adversity, which is something very different. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling . . .” ( Psalm 91:1,10 )— the place where you are at one with God.
If you are a child of God, you will certainly encounter adversities, but Jesus says you should not be surprised when they come. “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” He is saying, “There is nothing for you to fear.” The same people who refused to talk about their adversities before they were saved often complain and worry after being born again because they have the wrong idea of what it means to live the life of a saint.
God does not give us overcoming life— He gives us life as we overcome. The strain of life is what builds our strength. If there is no strain, there will be no strength. Are you asking God to give you life, liberty, and joy? He cannot, unless you are willing to accept the strain. And once you face the strain, you will immediately get the strength. Overcome your own timidity and take the first step. Then God will give you nourishment— “To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life . . .” (Revelation 2:7 ). If you completely give of yourself physically, you become exhausted. But when you give of yourself spiritually, you get more strength. God never gives us strength for tomorrow, or for the next hour, but only for the strain of the moment. Our temptation is to face adversities from the standpoint of our own common sense. But a saint can “be of good cheer” even when seemingly defeated by adversities, because victory is absurdly impossible to everyone, except God.
my utmost for his highest
Monday, August 02, 2010
The Unknown Giver
by Dave Branon
Read: Matthew 6:1-4
When you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. —Matthew 6:3
I don’t know about you, but I tend to enjoy getting credit when I do stuff for others. And I don’t think I’m alone in appreciating thank you cards and words of gratitude.
I also know, however, that there’s something to be said for anonymity. This must be a good way to give, because Jesus endorsed it.
That’s why I was impressed with a gift that arrived anonymously on our front porch one day. We had been out of town; and when we returned, there stood several flower pots—each holding a blooming sunflower. We knew the reason—they were left on our doorstep on the birthday of our late daughter, Melissa, who loved sunflowers. Someone was telling us, “We remember Mell.” By giving anonymously, they focused completely on our family rather than on themselves.
Imagine a world in which we all gave generously and selflessly. Jesus mentioned secret giving in Matthew 6. He said, “When you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret” (vv.3-4).
Realistically, we can’t always give anonymously. But our giving should always be marked with the same spirit of selfless humility and God-directed charity.
Give as ’twas given to you in your need,
Love as the Master loved you;
Be to the helpless a helper indeed
Unto your mission be true. —Wilson
Self-sacrifice is the true measure of our giving.
our daily bread
by Dave Branon
Read: Matthew 6:1-4
When you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. —Matthew 6:3
I don’t know about you, but I tend to enjoy getting credit when I do stuff for others. And I don’t think I’m alone in appreciating thank you cards and words of gratitude.
I also know, however, that there’s something to be said for anonymity. This must be a good way to give, because Jesus endorsed it.
That’s why I was impressed with a gift that arrived anonymously on our front porch one day. We had been out of town; and when we returned, there stood several flower pots—each holding a blooming sunflower. We knew the reason—they were left on our doorstep on the birthday of our late daughter, Melissa, who loved sunflowers. Someone was telling us, “We remember Mell.” By giving anonymously, they focused completely on our family rather than on themselves.
Imagine a world in which we all gave generously and selflessly. Jesus mentioned secret giving in Matthew 6. He said, “When you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret” (vv.3-4).
Realistically, we can’t always give anonymously. But our giving should always be marked with the same spirit of selfless humility and God-directed charity.
Give as ’twas given to you in your need,
Love as the Master loved you;
Be to the helpless a helper indeed
Unto your mission be true. —Wilson
Self-sacrifice is the true measure of our giving.
our daily bread