lassa fever
June 30, 2008 READ: Romans 3:19-26 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. —Romans 5:9 When Lily Pinneo, a missionary nurse, was in West Africa, she contracted a deadly disease called Lassa fever. After Lily was flown to New York for medical treatment, her [...]
true confessions
June 29, 2008
READ: Psalm 51:1-13
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. —Psalm 51:5
I love coconut. I always have! So, after an exhausting day in second grade, I found a bag of shredded coconut in the cupboard and devoured the whole thing. When my mother went into the kitchen later to bake—you guessed it, a coconut cake—I heard, “Who ate the coconut?!”
I knew I was in trouble, but my escape plan was simple—a quick, easy lie: “Not me!”
She continued her inquiry with my sisters, but after they denied it, we all heard the familiar words: “Wait till your Dad comes home!” My cover-up plan was doomed to failure, and later that evening I finally confessed.
No one had to teach me to lie. As the psalmist David admits, “I was brought forth in iniquity” (Ps. 51:5). But in his sin David knew where to go—to the God of abundant mercy who will cleanse us from our sin (vv.1-2).
When we recognize the ongoing reality of sin in our lives, we are reminded of our ongoing need for the presence of God and the power of His Word to keep us safe and spiritually sane. He is waiting for us to confess our faults and embrace the forgiveness and cleansing that He readily offers.
Remember, a refreshing plunge into God’s mercy awaits you on the other side of confessed sin!
— Joe Stowell
Own up to your sin and experience the joy of confession.
Source: Our Daily Bread
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Loading ...amateur christians
June 28, 2008
READ: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31
The love of Christ compels us. —2 Corinthians 5:14
The word amateur has been redefined over the years and has lost the luster of its original meaning. The English word comes from the Latin word amore, which means “to love.” An amateur is someone who does something simply for the love of it.
In today’s way of thinking, receiving payment moves you into a “higher” category—that of a professional. The reasoning is that if someone is willing to pay for your service, you must be really good. An amateur, therefore, is considered to have less skill or talent.
As I read my Bible, however, I see a different hierarchy of values. During the time of Jesus, the religious professionals were using their position to gain power and prestige for themselves, not to serve the people. Jesus didn’t choose those who were wise, mighty, or noble by human standards (1 Cor. 1:26). He sought those willing to follow Him and be trained for loving service.
In today’s world, the scene is much the same. God is still looking for “amateurs,” those who will serve the Lord for the sheer love of it. Compelled by our love for Jesus, may we, like the disciples and apostles before us, proclaim the love of God for the world by following Christ’s example of loving and serving others.
— Julie Ackerman Link
One proof of our love for God is our love for our neighbor.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...God’s greater goal
June 27, 2008
READ: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. —2 Corinthians 12:8
I have an unmarried friend who prays earnestly for God to lessen or even remove his sexual drive. It causes him constant temptation. As gently as I can, I tell him I doubt that God will answer his prayer the way he wants. More likely, he will learn fidelity the way anyone learns it, by relying on discipline, community, and constant pleas of dependence.
For whatever reason, God has let this broken world endure in its fallen state for a very long time. God seems to value character more than our comfort, often using the very elements that cause us the most discomfort as His tools in fashioning that character. This was true in the life of the apostle Paul, who prayed fruitlessly that his mysterious “thorn in the flesh” be removed (2 Cor. 12:8).
In my own life, I am trying to remain open to new realities, not blaming God when my expectations go unmet but trusting Him to lead me through failures toward renewal and growth. I am seeking a trust that “the Father knows best” in how this world is run. I see that the way in which I may want God to act does not achieve the results I might expect.
When God sent His own Son—sinless, full of grace and healing—we killed Him. God Himself allows what He does not prefer, to achieve some greater goal.
— Philip Yancey
God uses our difficulties to develop His Son’s likeness in us.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...one exception
June 26, 2008
READ: Isaiah 53:4-12
Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words. —John 8:46-47
Are there any perfect people alive today? Not in the opinion of Harvard University psychiatrist Jerome Groopman. In his engrossing book How Doctors Think, he expresses agreement with the profound insights found in the Bible. He writes, “Everyone is flawed at some time, in thought or in deed, from Abraham to Moses to the Apostles.”
But what about Jesus Christ? He challenged His listeners regarding Himself: “Which of you convicts Me of sin?” (John 8:46). The disciples’ verdict after they had opportunity to scrutinize His life for at least 3 years was that He was without sin (1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5).
Was Jesus a moral miracle, the one sinless Person in the whole procession of sinful humans? Yes, He was the one spotless exception to this observation of the apostle Paul: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). And that word all includes both you and me!
Because all humanity has sinned, we can rejoice that Jesus was qualified—He and He alone—to be the flawless Sacrifice we need.
We give thanks for Jesus Christ, our sinless sin-bearer—the one exception!
— Vernon C. Grounds
Only Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, can declare guilty people perfect.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...anytime, anywhere
June 25, 2008
READ: Ephesians 2:11-19
Through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. —Ephesians 2:18
When Mike Marolt is out of town, he remotely accesses the computer and files in his Aspen, Colorado, office. On a recent overseas trip, Marolt answered e-mails and kept in touch with his clients by using his laptop through a satellite phone hookup. This time, however, he was sitting in a base camp tent at 21,000 feet on the side of Mt. Everest. These days even that doesn’t surprise us because we have become used to the technology that provides access to the rest of the world anytime, anywhere.
We can easily develop a similar lack of amazement toward prayer. Talk to God? “Of course.” We don’t have to wait in line, enter a building, or wear nice clothing. We can pour out our hearts to the Lord anytime, anywhere. It’s easy to lose the wonder of that because it has become so familiar.
Paul always seemed to marvel at the door opened wide into the presence of God. “In Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ,” he wrote. “For through Him we both [Gentiles and Jews] have access by one Spirit to the Father” (Eph. 2:13,18).
The door is open for everyone. God welcomes all who come by faith. Through Christ we can enter His presence— anytime, anywhere. Amazing!
— David C. McCasland
There is no place or time we cannot pray.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...fire mountain
June 24, 2008
READ: Matthew 24:36-44
Be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. —Matthew 24:44
Rising 2,900 meters (9,600 ft.) above the rainforest in Indonesia’s southern Java, Mount Merapi (the Fire Mountain) is one of the world’s most dangerous volcanoes.
As the Fire Mountain showed signs of renewed activity, authorities tried to evacuate local residents. Then, on May 13, 2006, Merapi spewed a gray plume of sulfurous smoke that resembled a flock of sheep leaving the crater. Amazingly, villagers ignored the signs and returned to tending their livestock, apparently forgetting that in 1994 Merapi had killed 60 people. It’s our human tendency to ignore signs.
When Jesus left the temple at Jerusalem for the last time, His disciples asked what would signal His return to earth (Matt. 24:3). He told them many things to watch for, but warned that people would still be unprepared.
The apostle Peter told us that in the last days scoffers would say of Jesus’ return: “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:4).
Scoffers are with us today, just as Peter warned. Are you among them? Or are you ready for the Lord Jesus to return? Ignoring these signs is even more dangerous than living in the shadow of the Fire Mountain.
— C. P. Hia
To ignore the Bible is to invite disaster.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...all out of teenagers
June 23, 2008
READ: Psalm 128
Your children [shall be] like olive plants all around your table. —Psalm 128:3
For 18 years, our home was blessed by the presence of teenagers. But now that our youngest is in his 20s, my wife and I are all out of teenagers.
Those years were full of challenges and demands that sometimes zapped our strength and took all of our mental and emotional reserves. Along the way, we navigated the rough seas of the sudden death of one of our four teens. We also enjoyed the thrills of success and struggled through the turmoil of rebellion. As I look back on our experiment in parenting, we learned some valuable lessons:
• Some teens follow life in a straight line, while others zig-zag along life’s pathway. It’s best to “zig” with them in love and with courage.
• All teens need unconditional love because they live in a conditional world.
• A love of God’s Word is vital to successfully transferring faith from one generation to the next.
• Teens need to develop a relationship with Christ that is based not on rules but on a deep love of Jesus.
Has God placed any young people in your life? Whatever their age, love them unconditionally. Help them learn to love God’s Word. Show them how to have a deep love for Jesus. And hold on!
— Dave Branon
Don’t merely spend time with your children—invest it.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...no gripping
June 22, 2008
READ: Philippians 2:12-18
Do all things without complaining and disputing. —Philippians 2:14
During my first week of Bible college, we had several days of orientation in which we were given a rule book to study. Several days later, during a meeting to discuss those rules, one student stood up and asked, “What is ‘no gripping’? And why is it against the rules?”
He was referring to a statement in the rule book he had misread. Instead of “gripping,” it read “griping”—complaining or grumbling.
A rule against griping is perfectly understandable. The cancer of a complaining spirit can undermine the spiritual and emotional health of an individual and can infect an entire group. This can result in discontent, frustration, and even rebellion.
Moses heard griping among God’s people a mere 3 days after leading them from slavery into freedom (Ex. 15:24). Centuries later, Samuel felt the weight of griping as he sought to represent God to his generation (1 Sam. 8:4-9).
A complaining spirit can destroy the effectiveness of a church too. Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, “Do all things without complaining and disputing” (Phil. 2:14).
We need to avoid a complaining spirit when serving Christ. Instead, rejoice and thank God for all He has done! No griping allowed.
— Bill Crowder
When you feel like griping, start counting your blessings.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...bird song
June 21, 2008
READ: Psalm 104:24-35
Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. —Psalm 98:4
Why do birds sing? Birds sing “because they can and because they must,” says David Rothenberg, a professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. “Songs are used to attract mates and defend territories, but the form is much more than function. Nature is full of beauty, and of music.”
Birds sing because they have a syrinx instead of a larynx. The syrinx is the bird’s voice box, an organ that lies deep in a bird’s chest and is uniquely fashioned for song. That, at least, is the natural explanation for their gift.
But I ask again, why do birds sing? Because their Creator put a song in their hearts. Each bird is “heaven’s high and holy muse,” said John Donne, created to draw our hearts up to our Creator. They are reminders that He has given us a song that we may sing His praise.
So when you hear God’s little hymn-birds singing their hearts out, remember to sing your own song of salvation. Lift up your voice—harmonious, hoarse, or harsh—and join with them in praise to our Creator, Redeemer, and Lord.
The birds of the air “sing among the branches,” Israel’s poet observes. “[Therefore] I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being” (Ps. 104:12,33).
All creation sings God’s praise.
Source: Our Daily Bread
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