Friday, February 28, 2014

Big Spring by Bill Crowder (Our Daily Bread)

The water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. —John 4:14 (Our Daily Bread)

----------------------

John 4:7-14

New International Version (NIV)

⁷When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” ⁸(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
⁹The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.^[a])
¹⁰Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
¹¹“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? ¹²Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”
¹³Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

----------------------

Big Spring

By Bill Crowder

from: http://odb.org/

In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is a remarkable natural wonder—a pool about 40 feet deep and 300 feet across that Native Americans called “Kitch-iti-kipi,” or “the big cold water.” Today it is known as The Big Spring. It is fed by underground springs that push more than 10,000 gallons of water a minute through the rocks below and up to the surface. Additionally, the water keeps a constant temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning that even in the brutally cold winters of the Upper Peninsula the pool never freezes. Tourists can enjoy viewing the waters of Big Spring during any season of the year.

When Jesus encountered a woman at Jacob’s well, He talked to her about another source of water that would always satisfy. But He did not speak of a fountain, spring, river, or lake. He said, “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).

Far greater than any natural spring is the refreshment we have been offered in Christ Himself. We can be satisfied, for Jesus alone, the Water of Life, can quench our thirst. Praise God, for Jesus is the source that never runs dry.

Father, it seems that I drink far too often from the
waters of the world that cannot satisfy. Forgive me,
and teach me to find in Christ the water than can
quench the thirst of my heart and draw me ever closer to You.

The only real thirst-quencher is Jesus— the living water.

Bible Reading

Consider The Lilies by Julie Ackerman Link (Our Daily Bread)

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. —Psalm 19:1 (Our Daily Bread)

-------------------

Psalm 19:1-6

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 19^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
²Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
³They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
⁴Yet their voice^[b] goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
⁵    It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
    like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
⁶It rises at one end of the heavens
    and makes its circuit to the other;
    nothing is deprived of its warmth.

New International Version (NIV)

-------------------

Consider The Lilies

By Julie Ackerman Link

from: http://odb.org/

I enjoy nature and giving praise to its Creator, but I sometimes wrongly feel guilty for admiring it too much. Then I remember that Jesus used nature as a teaching tool. To encourage people not to worry, He used simple wildflowers as an example. “Consider the lilies,” He said, and then reminded people that even though flowers do no work at all, God dresses them in splendor. His conclusion? If God clothes something temporary in such glory, He surely will do much more for us (Matt. 6:28-34).

Other portions of Scripture indicate that creation is one of the ways God uses to tell us about Himself:
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork,” wrote David. “Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge” (Ps. 19:1-2).

“Let the heavens declare His righteousness, for God Himself is Judge,” Asaph said (50:6).

And Paul wrote, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:20).

God so loves us and wants us to know Him that He put evidence of Himself everywhere we look.

Father, Your love is overwhelmingly evident, yet
so often we miss it. Thank You for the unfailing
reminders of Your grace, love, and mercy. Give
us eyes to see Your beauty in Your creation.

In God’s pattern book of nature we can trace many valuable lessons.

Bible Reading

The Power of Love by David C. McCasland (Our Daily Bread)

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the [atoning sacrifice] for our sins. —1 John 4:10 (Our Daily Bread)

---------------------

1 John 4:7-10

New International Version (NIV)

God’s Love and Ours

⁷Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

---------------------

The Power Of Love

By David C. McCasland

from: http://odb.org/

Books on leadership often appear on best-seller lists. Most of them tell how to become a powerful and effective leader. But Henri Nouwen’s book In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership is written from a different perspective. The former university professor who spent many years serving in a community of developmentally disabled adults says: “The question is not: How many people take you seriously? How much are you going to accomplish? Can you show some results? But: Are you in love with Jesus? . . . In our world of loneliness and despair, there is an enormous need for men and women who know the heart of God, a heart that forgives, that cares, that reaches out and wants to heal.”

John wrote, “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the [atoning sacrifice] for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10).

“The Christian leader of the future,” writes Nouwen, “is the one who truly knows the heart of God as it has become flesh . . . in Jesus.” In Him, we discover and experience God’s unconditional, unlimited love.

Father, please show the wonder of Your great love
through me to others today so that they might know
they need not walk through life alone. Let my heart
personally experience and display Your care.

God’s love in our heart gives us a heart for others.

Bible Reading

Lie Down by Cindy Hess Kasper (Our Daily Bread)

He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. —Psalm 23:2-3 (Our Daily Bread)

---------------------

Exodus 20:8-11

New International Version (NIV)

⁸“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. ¹¹For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

New International Version (NIV)

---------------------

“Lie Down”

By Cindy Hess Kasper

from: http://odb.org/

Our golden retriever can get so overly excited that he will go into a seizure. To prevent that from happening, we try to calm him. We stroke him, speak to him in a soothing voice, and tell him to lie down. But when he hears “lie down,” he avoids eye contact with us and starts complaining. Finally, with a dramatic sigh of resignation, he gives in and plops to the floor.

Sometimes we too need to be reminded to lie down. In Psalm 23, we learn that our Good Shepherd makes us “lie down in green pastures” and leads us “beside the still waters.” He knows that we need the calm and rest that these provide, even when we don’t realize it ourselves.

Our bodies are designed to have regular rest. God Himself rested on the seventh day after His work of creation (Gen. 2:2-3; Ex. 20:9-11). Jesus knew there was a time to minister to the crowds and a time to rest. He instructed His disciples to “come aside . . . and rest a while” (Mark 6:31). When we rest, we refocus and are refreshed. When we are filling every hour with activity—even with worthwhile things—God often gets our attention by making us “lie down.”

Rest is a gift—a good gift from our Creator who knows exactly what we need. Praise Him that He sometimes makes us “lie down in green pastures.”

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your
care for our well-being in every area
of our lives. Help us to be rested
and refreshed in You.

If we don’t come apart and rest awhile, we may just plain come apart! —Havner

Bible Reading

Empty Fort Strategy by Poh Fang Chia (Our Daily Bread)

Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? —Jeremiah 32:27 (Our Daily Bread)

------------------------------

Judges 7:2-8

New International Version (NIV)

²The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ ³Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.

⁴But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”
⁵So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” ⁶Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.
⁷The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” ⁸So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.
Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley.

------------------------------

Empty Fort Strategy

By Poh Fang chia

from: http://odb.org/

In the Chinese historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, author Luo Guanzhong describes the “Empty Fort Strategy,” a use of reverse psychology to deceive the enemy. When 150,000 troops from the Wei Kingdom reached Xicheng, which had less than 2,500 soldiers, they found the city gate wide open and the famous military tactician Zhuge Liang calmly playing the zither with two children beside him. The Wei general, baffled by the scene and believing it was an ambush, ordered a full retreat.

The Bible offers another example of a bewildering battle strategy. In Judges 7, God had Gideon use 300 men, horns, jars, and blazing torches against armies that were “as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number” (v.12).

Could Israel defeat such a formidable foe? It was humanly impossible! They had neither the manpower nor the military hardware. But they had one thing that worked for them and that was all they needed. They had God’s promise: “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory” (v.7 nlt). The result? Victory!

Are you facing a formidable challenge? The Lord has said, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jer. 32:27).

With God, all things are possible.

Bible Reading

Limitless Love by Joe Stowell (Our Daily Bread)

Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. —Psalm 36:5 (Our Daily Bread)

-------------------------

Psalm 36

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 36^[a]

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord.

¹I have a message from God in my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:^[b]
There is no fear of God
before their eyes.

²In their own eyes they flatter themselves
    too much to detect or hate their sin.
³The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful;
    they fail to act wisely or do good.
⁴Even on their beds they plot evil;
    they commit themselves to a sinful course
    and do not reject what is wrong.

⁵Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the skies.
⁶Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
    your justice like the great deep.
    You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
⁷How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
    People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
⁸They feast on the abundance of your house;
    you give them drink from your river of delights.
⁹For with you is the fountain of life;
    in your light we see light.

¹⁰Continue your love to those who know you,
    your righteousness to the upright in heart.
¹¹May the foot of the proud not come against me,
    nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
¹²See how the evildoers lie fallen—
    thrown down, not able to rise!

-------------------------

Limitless Love

By Joe Stowell

from: http://odb.org/

Recently, a friend sent me the history of a hymn that I often heard in church when I was a boy:
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole
Though stretched from sky to sky.

These words are part of an ancient Jewish poem and were once found on the wall of a patient’s room in an insane asylum.

Also, Frederick M. Lehman was so moved by the poem that he desired to expand on it. In 1917, while seated on a lemon box during his lunch break from his job as a laborer, he added the words of the first two stanzas and the chorus, completing the song “The Love of God.”

The psalmist describes the comforting assurance of God’s love in Psalm 36: “Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens” (v.5 esv). Regardless of the circumstances of life—whether in a moment of sanity in a mind otherwise muddled with confusion or during a dark time of trial—God’s love is a beacon of hope, our ever-present, inexhaustible source of strength and confidence.

You are loved with everlasting love.

Bible Reading

Bolt On Blake by C.P. Hia (Our Daily Bread)

Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. —Hebrews 10:24 (Our Daily Bread)

---------------------------

Hebrews 10:19-25

New International Version (NIV)

A Call to Persevere in Faith

¹⁹Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, ²¹and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²²let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. ²³Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. ²⁴And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

---------------------------

Bolt On Blake

By C. P. Hia

from: http://odb.org/

Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake of Jamaica made history when they finished first and second respectively in both the men’s 100-meter and 200-meter race in the 2012 London Olympics. Despite their rivalry on the track, Bolt paid tribute to Blake as a training partner: “Over the years, Yohan has made me a better athlete. He really pushed me and kept me on my toes.” It’s clear that the two spurred each other on to greatness on the track.

As believers in Christ, we have the privilege and responsibility of encouraging one another in our faith. The writer of Hebrews said, “Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works” (Heb. 10:24).

The church is not just an institution or a mere social club. It is where we, who have been brought near to God and washed from sin, can help one another grow in Christlikeness. The purpose of meeting together as a corporate body is to exhort and encourage one another (vv.19-25).

No believer can function alone. To live as our Lord Jesus wants us to, we need the community of believers. As you meet with other believers, think of who you can come alongside and encourage by your words and actions to be more like the Christ we love and serve.

Before our Father’s throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
Our comforts and our cares. —Fawcett

A healthy church is the best witness to a hurting world.

Bible Reading

Tell It On The Mountain by David C. McCasland (Our Daily Bread)

He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. —Mark 3:13 (Our Daily Bread)

----------------

Mark 3:1-15

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

3 Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. ²Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. ³Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

⁴Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.
⁵He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. ⁶Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

Crowds Follow Jesus

⁷Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. ⁸When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. ⁹Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. ¹⁰For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. ¹¹Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” ¹²But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.

Jesus Appoints the Twelve

¹³Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. ¹⁴He appointed twelve^[a] that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach ¹⁵and to have authority to drive out demons.

----------------

Tell It On The Mountain

By David C. McCasland

from: http://odb.org/

I was surprised to see a nationally distributed news article commending a group of teenage snowboarders who hold weekly church services on a Colorado ski slope. In the Summit Daily News, Kimberly Nicoletti’s story captured a wide audience with her account of teens who love to snowboard and to tell how Jesus changed their lives. Undergirding the teenagers is a Christian youth organization equipping them to demonstrate God’s love.

It’s easier to do things yourself than to train others, yet Jesus poured Himself into a dozen disciples through whom His work would reach the world. In the midst of the pressing need of people clamoring to be healed, He climbed a mountain where “He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out” (Mark 3:14).

One of those snowboarders in Colorado said of her discipleship training: “I’ve never been able to build relationships with family or friends; I’ve kept them at arm’s length. [The program] showed me God’s love. It opened me to reach out to people.”

Experiencing Jesus’ love and being in company with Him and His followers, we find courage to act and speak in ways that honor our Lord.

Let us go forth, as called of God,
Redeemed by Jesus’ precious blood;
His love to show, His life to live,
His message speak, His mercy give. —Whittle

Witnessing isn’t a job to be done but a life to be lived.

Bible Reading

Covering Sinkholes by Marvin Williams (Our Daily Bread)

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. —Psalm 32:1 (Our Daily Bread)

-------------------------

Psalm 32

Of David. A maskil.^[a]

¹Blessed is the one
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.
²Blessed is the one
    whose sin the Lord does not count against them
    and in whose spirit is no deceit.

³When I kept silent,
    my bones wasted away
    through my groaning all day long.
⁴For day and night
    your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
    as in the heat of summer.^[b]

⁵Then I acknowledged my sin to you
    and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
    my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave
    the guilt of my sin.

-------------------------

Covering Sinkholes

February 20, 2014 — by Marvin Williams

from: http://odb.org/

In late May 2010, tropical storm Agatha hit Central America, producing torrential rains and landslides. Once it finished its course, a 200-foot-deep sinkhole opened in downtown Guatemala City. This sinkhole caused the ground to collapse suddenly, sucking land, electrical poles, and a 3-story building into the depths of the earth.

Though sinkholes can be devastating, the most universal and damaging sinkhole is the one that happens in the human heart. King David was an example of this.

The surface of David’s life looked stable; however, his interior life rested on a fragile foundation. After his sins of adultery and murder, David thought he had successfully hidden his treacherous acts (2 Sam. 11–12). However, God’s intense conviction after Nathan’s confrontation caused him to realize that denying the presence of sin in his life weakened the foundation of his spiritual life. To prevent this spiritual sinkhole from worsening, David acknowledged his sin to God in repentance (Ps. 32:5). As a result, God covered David’s sin and gave him the joy of forgiveness.

We too will experience God’s grace when we confess our sins to Him. He will completely forgive and cover our spiritual sinkholes.

Thinking It Over
What habitual sins, secret addictions, or hidden
vulnerabilities are weakening your interior life?
Remember, God longs to give you complete forgiveness.

When we uncover our sins in repentance God will cover them.

Bible Reading

The Eleventh Hour by Dennis Fisher (Our Daily Bread)

Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. —Isaiah 2:4 (Our Daily Bread)

-------------------

Matthew 24:3-14

New International Version (NIV)

³As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
⁴Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁵For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. ⁶You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁷Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸All these are the beginning of birth pains.
⁹“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. ¹⁰At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, ¹¹and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. ¹²Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, ¹³but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. ¹⁴And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

-------------------

The Eleventh Hour

February 19, 2014 — by Dennis Fisher

from: http://odb.org/

World War I has been ranked by many as one of the deadliest conflicts in human history. Millions lost their lives in the first global modern war. On November 11, 1918, a ceasefire was observed on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. During that historic moment, millions around the world observed moments of silence while they reflected upon the war’s terrible cost—the loss of life and suffering. It was hoped that “the Great War,” as it was called, would truly be “the war that would end all wars.”

Despite the many deadly military conflicts that have followed, the hope for lasting peace has not faded. And the Bible offers a hopeful and realistic promise that someday wars will finally end. When Christ returns, Isaiah’s prophecy will come true: “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isa. 2:4). Then the eleventh hour will pass and the first hour of lasting peace in a new heaven and new earth will begin.

Until that day comes, those who follow Christ are to be people who represent the Prince of Peace in the way we conduct our lives and in the way we make a difference in our world.

Only in Christ can true peace be realized.

Bible Reading

The Great Creator-Healer by Joe Stowell (Our Daily Bread)

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. —Psalm 139:14 (Our Daily Bread)

----------------------

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
²You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
⁵You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

⁷Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.
¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹²even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

¹³For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

New International Version (NIV)

----------------------

The Great Creator-Healer

February 15, 2014 — by Joe Stowell

from: http://odb.org/

A few years ago, I had a rather serious skiing accident and severely tore the muscles in one of my legs. In fact, my doctor told me that the tear caused excessive bleeding. The healing process was slow, but during that time of waiting I found myself in awe of our great Creator (see Col. 1:16).

I’ve wrinkled a few car fenders in my lifetime and dropped more than one dish. They’ve always stayed broken. Not so with my leg. As soon as the tearing of my muscles occurred, the internal healing mechanisms that Christ created in my body went to work. Invisibly, down deep in my throbbing leg, the medics of His marvelous design were mending the tear. Before long, I was up and running again with a whole new sense of what the psalmist meant when he said that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made,” and my heart was filled with praise (Ps. 139:14).

Sometimes it takes something like an injury or a sickness to remind us of the masterful design that we carry around in our bodies. So the next time you face an unwanted interruption—no matter its cause—focus your attention on Jesus’ wonderful love and let Him lift your heart to grateful worship in the midst of the pain!

Lord, help us to see beyond the moments of our lives
and to delve deeply into Your marvelous handiwork
and perfect design. Forgive us for our short-sightedness
and teach us to see You in every circumstance.

Worship of the masterful Creator begins with a grateful heart.

Bible Reading

True Love by Jennifer Benson Schuldt (Our Daily Bread)

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. —John 15:13 (Our Daily Bread)

--------------------------

John 15:13

New International Version (NIV)

¹³Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

--------------------------

True Love

February 14, 2014 — by Jennifer Benson Schuldt

from: http://odb.org/

During the rehearsal for my brother’s wedding ceremony, my husband snapped a picture of the bride and groom as they faced each other in front of the pastor. When we looked at the photograph later, we noticed that the camera’s flash had illuminated a metal cross in the background, which appeared as a glowing image above the couple.

The photograph reminded me that marriage is a picture of Christ’s love for the church as shown on the cross.
When the Bible instructs husbands to love their wives (Eph. 5:25), God compares that kind of faithful, selfless affection to Christ’s love for His followers. Because Christ sacrificed His life for the sake of love, we are all to love each other (1 John 4:10-11). He died in our place, so that our sin would not keep us separate from God for eternity. He lived out His words to the disciples: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13).

Many of us suffer from the pain of abandonment, rejection, and betrayal. Despite all of this, through Christ we can understand the sacrificial, compassionate, and enduring nature of true love. Today, remember that you are loved by God. Jesus said so with His life.

Nothing speaks more clearly of God’s love than the cross of Jesus.

Bible Reading

Hyperseeing by David H. Roper (Our Daily Bread)

When He is revealed, we shall be like Him. —1 John 3:2 (Our Daily Bread)

----------------------------

Romans 8:28-30

New International Version (NIV)

²⁸And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

----------------------------

Hyperseeing

February 12, 2014 — by David H. Roper

from: http://odb.org/

Sculptors have a term for the artist’s ability to look at a rough piece of stone and see it in its final, perfected form. It is called “hyperseeing.”

Gutzon Borglum (1867–1941) is the sculptor who created many well-known public works of art. Probably the most famous is Mt. Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota. Borglum’s housekeeper captured the concept of hyperseeing when she gazed up at the massive faces of the four US presidents on Mt. Rushmore for the first time. “Mr. Borglum,” she gasped, “how did you know Mr. Lincoln was in that rock?”

Hyperseeing is also a good description of our all-seeing God. He sees all that we are and more. He sees what we shall be when He has completed His work and we stand before Him, holy and without blemish: the exact likeness, the very image of Jesus. The God who started this great work in you will keep at it until He completes it on the very day Jesus Christ appears (see Phil. 1:6).

God will not be denied! He has such a longing for our perfection that nothing can or will remain an obstacle until He has finished the work He began so long ago.

If only . . . if only we will put ourselves in the Master Sculptor’s hands.

Doubt whispers, “Thou art such a blot;
He cannot love poor thee.”
If what I am He lovest not,
He loves what I shall be. —MacDonald

God works in us to grow us into what He wants us to be.

Bible Reading

Where Our Fears Live by Randy Kilgore (Our Daily Bread)

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. —Psalm 56:3(Our Daily Bread)

-------------------

1 Kings 17:17-24

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁷Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. ¹⁸She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”
¹⁹“Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. ²⁰Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” ²¹Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!”
²²The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. ²³Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!”
²⁴Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”

------------------

Where Our Fears Live

February 11, 2014 — by Randy Kilgore

from: http://odb.org/

Twelve years into our marriage, my wife and I were discouraged by the emotional roller-coaster of hopes raised and dashed in attempting to have children. A friend tried to “explain” God’s thinking. “Maybe God knows you’d be a bad father,” he said. He knew that my mother had struggled with a terrible temper.
Then, Christmas 1988, we learned we were expecting our first child! But now I had this nagging fear of failure.

The following August, Kathryn joined our family. As nurses and doctors tended to my wife, Kathryn cried on the warming tray. I offered my hand to comfort her, and her tiny fingers wrapped around my finger. In that instant, the Holy Spirit swept through me, assuring me of what I had only recently doubted—that I would show love to this little one!

The widow of Zarephath also had doubts. Her son had been struck with a lethal illness. In her despair she cried out, “Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?” (1 Kings 17:18). But God had other plans!

We serve a God who is mightier than the struggles we inherit and who is full of the desire to forgive, love, and heal the brokenness that rises up between us and Him. God is present in the places where our fears live.

Father, make Yourself known to us in our weakest
moments and in our greatest fears. Teach us to
receive Your love in a way that enables us to show
it to others, especially those closest to us.

Love swims against the current of life’s false fears.

Bible Reading

The Power of Music by Bill Crowder (Our Daily Bread)

I will sing of Your power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; for You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble. —Psalm 59:16 (Our Daily Bread)

-----------------------

Psalm 59:6-16

New International Version (NIV)

⁶They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,
    and prowl about the city.
⁷See what they spew from their mouths—
    the words from their lips are sharp as swords,
    and they think, “Who can hear us?”
⁸But you laugh at them, Lord;
    you scoff at all those nations.

⁹You are my strength, I watch for you;
you, God, are my fortress,
¹⁰ my God on whom I can rely.

God will go before me
    and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
¹¹But do not kill them, Lord our shield,^[a]
    or my people will forget.
In your might uproot them
    and bring them down.
¹²For the sins of their mouths,
    for the words of their lips,
    let them be caught in their pride.
For the curses and lies they utter,
¹³    consume them in your wrath,
    consume them till they are no more.
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
    that God rules over Jacob.

¹⁴They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,
    and prowl about the city.
¹⁵They wander about for food
    and howl if not satisfied.
¹⁶But I will sing of your strength,
    in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
    my refuge in times of trouble.

-----------------------

The Power Of Music

February 10, 2014 — by Bill Crowder

from: http://odb.org/

In Wales, the music of men’s chorus groups is deeply engrained in the culture. Prior to World War II, one Welsh glee club had a friendly yet competitive rivalry with a German glee club, but that bond was replaced with animosity during and after the war. The tension was gradually overcome, though, by the message on the trophy shared by the two choruses: “Speak with me, and you’re my friend. Sing with me, and you’re my brother.”

The power of music to heal and help is a gift from God that comforts many. Perhaps that is why the Psalms speak so deeply to us. There we find lyrics that connect with our hearts, allowing us to speak to God from the depth of our spirits. “But I will sing of Your power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; for You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble” (Ps. 59:16). Amazingly, David wrote this song as he was being hunted down by men seeking to kill him! Despite his circumstances, David remembered God’s power and mercy, and singing of them encouraged him to go on.

May our God give us a song today that will remind us of His goodness and greatness, no matter what we may face.

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long. —Crosby

“I will make music to the Lord, the God of Israel.” —Judges 5:3 (nlt)

Bible Reading

Maintain Unity by Albert Lee (Our Daily Bread)

Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. —Ephesians 4:3 (Our Daily Bread)

-----------------------------------

Ephesians 4:1-6

New International Version (NIV)

Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

4 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ²Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

-----------------------------------

Maintain Unity

February 9, 2014 — by Albert Lee

from: www.odb.org

A man stranded by himself on an island was finally discovered. His rescuers asked him about the three huts they saw there. He pointed and said, “This one is my home and that one is my church.” He then pointed to the third hut: “That was my former church.” Though we may laugh at the silliness of this story, it does highlight a concern about unity among believers.

The church of Ephesus during the time of the apostle Paul was comprised of both rich and poor, Jews and Gentiles, men and women, masters and slaves. And where differences exist, so does friction. One concern Paul wrote about was the issue of unity. But observe what Paul said about this issue in Ephesians 4:3. He didn’t tell them to be “eager to produce or to organize unity.” He told them to endeavor “to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Unity already exists because believers share one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all (vv.4-6).

How do we “keep the unity”? By expressing our different opinions and convictions with lowliness, gentleness, and patience (v.2). The Spirit will give us the power to react in love toward those with whom we disagree.

Lord, may our walk and our service be a
picture of the unity of Father, Son, and Spirit in
heaven above. Fill us with the fruit of the Spirit
that we might love others as You desire.

Unity among believers comes from our union with Christ.

Bible Reading

Unintentional by Dennis Fisher (Our Daily Bread)

If a person sins unintentionally . . . let him offer to the Lord . . . a young bull without blemish. —Leviticus 4:2-3 (Our Daily Bread)

-------------------

Leviticus 4:1-3

New International Version (NIV)

The Sin Offering

4 The Lord said to Moses, ²“Say to the Israelites: ‘When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands—

³“‘If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the Lord a young bull without defect as a sin offering^[a] for the sin he has committed.

Romans 3:21-26

New International Version (NIV)

Righteousness Through Faith

²¹But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. ²²This righteousness is given through faith in^[a] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, ²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,^[b] through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— ²⁶he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

-------------------

Unintentional

February 8, 2014 — by Dennis Fisher

from: http://odb.org/

When I was returning our grandson Alex to his family after a visit, the traffic seemed especially challenging. Fast-maneuvering cars blocked me from the correct toll lane, forcing me to go through a lane where only cars with a prepaid pass are permitted, which I didn’t have. Alex told me that my license plate would be photographed and a ticket might be mailed to me. I was frustrated because a penalty would have to be paid even though my infraction was unintentional.

For the ancient Jews, a violation of God’s laws committed even in ignorance was taken very seriously. The Old Testament recognized and provided for unintentional sins through appropriate sacrifices: “If a person sins unintentionally against any of the commandments . . . let him offer to the Lord . . . a young bull without blemish as a sin offering” (Lev. 4:2-3).

Old Testament sacrifices were more than a reminder that accidental wrongs have consequences. They were given in anticipation that God in His grace would provide atonement even for wrongs we didn’t realize we were doing. He did this through the death of Jesus in our place. God’s grace is far greater than we could ever imagine!

Grace is getting what we do not deserve. Mercy is not receiving what we do deserve.

Bible Reading

Before And After by Dave Branon (Our Daily Bread)

Give ear to my prayer, O God . . . . My heart is severely pained within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me. —Psalm 55:1,4 (Our Daily Bread)

---------------------

Psalm 55:1-8

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 55^[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil^[b] of David.

¹Listen to my prayer, O God,
    do not ignore my plea;
²    hear me and answer me.
My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught
³    because of what my enemy is saying,
    because of the threats of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering on me
    and assail me in their anger.

⁴My heart is in anguish within me;
    the terrors of death have fallen on me.
⁵Fear and trembling have beset me;
    horror has overwhelmed me.
⁶I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
    I would fly away and be at rest.
⁷I would flee far away
    and stay in the desert;^[c]
⁸I would hurry to my place of shelter,
    far from the tempest and storm.”

New International Version (NIV)

---------------------

Before And After

February 6, 2014 — by Dave Branon

from: http://odb.org/

What changes take place in a life of faith after severe testing? I thought of this as I read the tragic story of a Jamaican dad who accidentally shot and killed his 18-year-old daughter while trying to protect his family from intruders.

News reports said he went to church (as was his habit) the next day—distraught but still seeking God’s help. Faith in God guided him before, and he knew God could sustain him after.

I thought about this in regard to my own life—having also lost a teenage daughter. To review how I viewed life and faith before Melissa’s death, I dug into my computer archives to read the last article I had written before we lost her in June 2002. How would what I said then correspond to what I know now? Had severe testing changed my view of faith in God? In May of that year, I had written this: “David was not afraid to go boldly to God and tell Him what was on his heart. . . . We don’t have to be afraid to tell God what is on our heart.”

Before I went through tough times, I went to God and He listened to me. After, I discovered that He still listens and comforts and sustains. So I continue to pray in faith. Our faith remains intact and is strengthened because He is the God of the before and the after.

God is still on the throne,
He never forsaketh His own;
His promise is true, He will not forget you,
God is still on the throne. —Suffield

What we know of God encourages us to trust Him in all we do not know.

Bible Reading

Friday, February 28, 2014

John 4:7-14

Big Spring

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Psalm 19:1-6

Psalm 19[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Consider The Lilies

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

1 John 4:7-10

God’s Love and Ours

The Power Of Love

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Exodus 20:8-11

“Lie Down”

Monday, February 24, 2014

Judges 7:2-8

Empty Fort Strategy

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Psalm 36

Psalm 36[a]

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord.

Limitless Love

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Hebrews 10:19-25

A Call to Persevere in Faith

Bolt On Blake

Friday, February 21, 2014

Mark 3:1-15

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

Crowds Follow Jesus

Jesus Appoints the Twelve

Tell It On The Mountain

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Psalm 32

Of David. A maskil.[a]

Covering Sinkholes

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Matthew 24:3-14

The Eleventh Hour

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

The Great Creator-Healer

Friday, February 14, 2014

John 15:13

True Love

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Romans 8:28-30

Hyperseeing

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

1 Kings 17:17-24

Where Our Fears Live

Monday, February 10, 2014

Psalm 59:6-16

The Power Of Music

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Ephesians 4:1-6

Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

Maintain Unity

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Leviticus 4:1-3

The Sin Offering

Romans 3:21-26

Righteousness Through Faith

Unintentional

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Psalm 55:1-8

Psalm 55[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil[b] of David.

Before And After

Psalm 19^[a]

Psalm 36^[a]

Of David. A maskil.^[a]

Psalm 55^[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil^[b] of David.