enduring love
February 13, 2009 READ: 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 [Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. —1 Corinthians 13:7 Like many people, I enjoy the Google homepage artwork that appears on special days and holidays. Last Valentine’s Day, the artistic logo showed an older couple—a man with a cane and a [...]
real love
By MeL Scribe, Australia Real Love Then how, my friend, can love be measured? It is not compared by distance, quantity, or volume. It cannot be confined from the ends of the earth to the centre of the sun, It is not something to be counted in tens of millions, Nor can it be expressed [...]
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Loading ...learning from lincoln
February 12, 2009
READ: Proverbs 3:1-8
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. —Proverbs 3:6
The day before his 52nd birthday, Abraham Lincoln left Springfield, Illinois, to become President of the United States. With the threat of civil war looming, he said goodbye to the friends and neighbors who had come to see him off. “I now leave,” he told them, “not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington. Without the assistance of the Divine Being who ever attended him, I cannot succeed. With that assistance I cannot fail. Trusting in Him who can go with me, and remain with you, and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell.”
Lincoln’s reliance on God for guidance and strength reflects the instruction of Solomon: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Prov. 3:5-6).
On this 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth, we celebrate his kindness, integrity, and courage. And we can also learn from him how to face a daunting future with confident hope in the Lord. — David C. McCasland
Living without trust in God is like driving in the fog.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...path to humility
February 11, 2009
READ: Psalm 131
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. —James 4:10
My friend declared, as he tried to keep a straight face, “I’m so proud of my humility!” That reminds me of the joke about a leader who was given an award for his humility. Because he accepted the award, it was taken back the following week!
David seemed to be making the same error when he said, “My heart is not haughty” (Ps. 131:1). When we understand the text, however, we know that he wasn’t boasting about his humility. Rather, in response to the accusation of treason made by Saul’s men, David stated he didn’t consider himself so important nor think of himself so highly as to have “lofty” eyes.
Instead, David learned to be like a “weaned child” in the Lord’s arms (v.2). Like a baby who is completely dependent on his parents, he waited on God for His protection while he was a fugitive under King Saul’s pursuit. In his darkest hour, David realized his need and then advised his people: “Hope in the Lord from this time forth and forever” (v.3).
The path to humility is twofold. It involves knowing who we are—having a proper self-esteem rather than thinking too highly of self. But most important, it requires knowing who God is—holding Him in highest esteem and trusting Him for His best in His time. — Albert Lee
When we think we’re humble—we’re not.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...bursting forth in glorious day
By MeL Scribe, Australia I look to the ground. Here she comes. A teacher I know well. I didn’t feel like talking then; There wasn’t much to tell. Except the things I’d failed to do. Keep expectations held. How disappointed would she feel When fears and shame would meld? And afterwards I walked away I’d [...]
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...what’s for dinner?
February 10, 2009
READ: Genesis 22:1-12
It came to pass . . . that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” —Genesis 22:1
I can hardly imagine inviting special friends over for dinner and then throwing a few leftovers into the microwave to serve up to them. But if I were to do that, it would speak volumes about how I really feel about them.
Giving God the leftovers of our lives speaks volumes about His true worth to us. When God asked Abraham to give Isaac back to Him as an act of worship, Genesis 22:1 calls it a test. A test to see if there was anything in his life that he treasured more than God.
It’s no different for us. There are times when God requires something really important to get His work done. He’ll ask us to give up our natural instincts to seek revenge so that we can communicate His forgiving love by forgiving our enemies. He may call us to sacrifice portions of our time or money or comforts to advance His cause. Or He may require us to allow our sons and daughters to go to a far-off land to tell others about His saving love. The way we respond to what He requires says volumes about how we really feel about Him.
Anyone can offer the leftovers. Only those who love God more than anything else will serve up the very best for Him. — Joe Stowell
No sacrifice we make is too great for the One who sacrificed His all.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...something’s wrong with harry
February 9, 2009
READ: 1 Peter 2:9-17
A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance. —Proverbs 15:13
Every morning Harry, a Christian, walked into his office singing a song from the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical Oklahoma: “Oh, what a beautiful morning; oh, what a beautiful day! I got a beautiful feeling, everything’s going my way!”
But one morning, he forgot to sing. Harry soon noticed that something was wrong at the office; everyone around him seemed on edge. When he finally asked a co-worker what was wrong, she replied, “You didn’t sing this morning, and we thought you were upset!”
Harry had become known for such a cheerful, positive spirit that his co-workers were sure something was wrong with him that morning. Harry hadn’t realized how closely people were watching him, and he resolved from then on always to come to work singing.
First Peter 2 reminds us that people are observing our lives (vv.11-12). To be good representatives of Jesus Christ, Peter teaches that we’re to be submissive to authority, to live an honorable life, to do good works, to honor all people, and to fear God (vv.12-17).
The testimony of our lives can give us opportunities to share the good news of Jesus. So we might want to ask ourselves, “What do people see in me?” — Anne Cetas
Do others see Jesus in you?
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...breathless
February 8, 2009
READ: Psalm 8
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth. —Psalm 57:5
When was the last time something took your breath away because of its majesty?
I’m not talking about an electronic gadget or some special effects in a movie. I’m talking about a nighttime sky show such as an eclipse of the moon. Or walking outside on a starry night to see Orion or Pleiades—constellations mentioned thousands of years ago in Scripture (Amos 5:8) that are still glowing today for our enjoyment. I’m speaking of a bursting dawn that radiates with glorious colors to signal another sunrise. Or the sound and light show that accompanies God’s way of watering the earth with food-producing rain (Job 36:27-33).
Have you stood by a fence and marveled at the power of a horse as it gallops gallantly through the field, mane flowing and hoofs pounding? (39:19-25). Or watched a soaring, swooping eagle drop from the sky because his God-designed vision has sighted supper from his mountain-peak nest? (39:27-30).
At creation, God gave man breath. Then he took man’s breath away with the beauty, grandeur, and eloquence of a universe of marvels created by His own hand. Look around. Examine what God has done. Then, breathless, proclaim His majesty. — Dave Branon
All creation is an outstretched finger pointing toward God.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...turkish delight
February 7, 2009
READ: John 21:15-19
Your law is my delight. —Psalm 119:174
In C. S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the White Witch needed to know only one thing about Edmund to get him to betray his siblings. By asking a few simple questions, the witch learned that Edmund’s weakness was his love for a candy called Turkish Delight. The piece she gave to Edmund was more delicious than anything he had ever tasted. Soon Edmund could think only about “trying to shovel down as much Turkish Delight as he could, and the more he ate the more he wanted.”
Each of us has a vulnerability like Edmund’s that Satan is eager to exploit. It may be something addictive like drugs or alcohol, or it may be something seemingly harmless and perhaps even good like food, friendship, or work.
After His resurrection, Jesus asked Peter this personal and probing question: “Do you love Me more than these?” (John 21:15). Many have speculated as to what Jesus meant by the word “these,” but it’s probably better that we don’t know. It allows each of us to personalize the question and ask ourselves, “What do I love more than Jesus?”
When Satan finds out what we love more than God, he knows how to manipulate us. But he loses his power over us when we delight in the Lord. — Julie Ackerman Link
God takes delight in us—how can we help but delight in Him?
Source: Our Daily Bread
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