Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn


Read: Psalm 139:1-12

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? —Psalm 139:7

Bible in a Year:
Judges 13-15; Luke 6:27-49

While I was visiting my son in San Diego, we decided to go to Shadow Mountain Church to hear Dr. David Jeremiah preach. Steve and I got up early on Sunday morning and took the hour-long drive to the church. But our anticipation turned to disappointment when we discovered that Dr. Jeremiah was not there that day. “Some other guy”—a substitute—was preaching.

A couple of weeks later, I was scheduled to preach at the church in Grand Rapids where my wife and I attend. As I stood in front of the congregation, I realized that now I was “some other guy” and they might be disappointed because they had come to hear our pastor—not me—speak.

While we find comfort in the familiarity of those we depend on in life, we have to recognize that at times they can be substituted. But the One we need most—the One on whom we depend for life itself—is always present (Ps. 139:7-8). When we desire to enter God’s presence in prayer, He is always there: “Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice” (55:17).

Looking for God? He’s always right there. No substitute needed.
Dear Lord, I am so thankful that You are always present.I never need to make an appointment to speak to You,the God of the universe. No matter where I go or whattime it is, I can depend on Your presence.
When you come to the Lord, there is no waiting line—His ears are always open to your cry.
 
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn


Read: 1 Samuel 23:14-18

A friend loves at all times. —Proverbs 17:17

Bible in a Year:
Judges 16-18; Luke 7:1-30

Friendship is one of life’s greatest gifts. True friends seek a special kind of good for their friends: the highest good, which is that they might know God and love Him with all of their heart, soul, and mind. German pastor and martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “The aim of friendship is exclusively determined by what God’s will is for the other person.”

Jonathan, David’s friend, is a sterling example of true friendship. David was in exile, hiding in the Desert of Ziph, when he learned that “Saul had come out to seek his life” (1 Sam. 23:15). Jonathan went to Horesh to find David. The significance of this scene lies in Jonathan’s intent: He helped David find strength in God or, as the text puts it, he “strengthened his hand [grip] in God” (v.16).

That is the essence of Christian friendship. Beyond common interests, beyond affection, beyond wit and laughter is the ultimate aim of sowing in others the words of eternal life, leaving them with reminders of God’s wisdom, refreshing their spirit with words of His love, and strengthening their grip on God.

Pray for your friends and ask God to give you a word “in season” to help them find renewed strength in our God and His Word.
Dear Lord, thank You for loving us. May Your lovecompel us to show love to others. Give ussensitivity to Your Spirit that we might know howto encourage them in their walk with You.
A true friend is a gift from God and one who points us back to Him.
 
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn


Read: 1 John 4:7-21

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. —1 John 4:11

Bible in a Year:
Judges 19-21; Luke 7:31-50

Love is the centerpiece of thriving relationships. Scripture makes it clear that we need to be people who love—love God with all our hearts, love our neighbor as ourselves, and love our enemies. But it’s hard to love when we don’t feel loved. Neglected children, spouses who feel ignored by their mates, and parents who are alienated from their children all know the heartache of a life that lacks love.

So, for everyone who longs to be loved, welcome to the pleasure of knowing that you are richly loved by God. Think of the profound impact of His love that was poured out for you at the cross. Meditate on the fact that if you’ve trusted in Him, His love covers your faults and failures and that you are clothed with His spotless righteousness (Rom. 3:22-24). Revel in the fact that nothing can separate you from His love (8:39). Embrace His loving provision of a future secured for you where you will be eternally loved (John 3:16).

When John tells us that we “ought to love one another,” he calls us the “beloved” (1 John 4:11; see also 3:1-2). Once you embrace how wonderfully loved you are by God, it will be much easier to be the loving person God calls you to be—even toward those who don’t show you love.
Were the whole realm of nature mine,That were a present far too small:Love so amazing, so divine,Demands my soul, my life, my all. —Watts
Embracing God’s love for us is the key to loving others.
 
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn


Read: Matthew 6:1-6,16-18

Your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. —Matthew 6:18

Bible in a Year:
Ruth 1-4; Luke 8:1-25

Not far from my house, authorities have rigged a camera to snap pictures of drivers who race through red lights. The offenders later receive in the mail a ticket along with a “red-light photo,” which is visual proof of their traffic violation.

Sometimes I think of God in the same way I think of that camera—He’s up there, just waiting to catch me doing the wrong thing. While God does see our sin (Heb. 4:13), He sees and takes interest in our good deeds as well. Due to His supernatural surveillance, God sees the size of our sacrifice when we give money to the church or to those in need (Mark 12:41-44). He hears our private prayers (Matt. 6:6). And when we fast, we can carry on as usual being assured that our “Father . . . sees in secret” (v.18).

Knowing that God sees everything frees us from thinking about the watchful eyes of others. When we do what is right, we need no applause from onlookers; when we sin, we do not need to worry about our reputation once we settle the issue with God and anyone we’ve harmed. We can rest knowing that “the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 Chron. 16:9).
Lord, thank You for Your all-seeing nature. You knoweverything I think and do. Help me to value Yourapproval and live according to Your standards,no matter what anyone else may think.
Others see what we do, but God sees why we do it.
 
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn


Read: Deuteronomy 30:11-20

For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. —Deuteronomy 30:11

Bible in a Year:
1 Samuel 1-3; Luke 8:26-56

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Missy Sullivan noted that many user agreements, warranties, and disclaimers that come with products are nearly unreadable. Intentionally set in very small type, they actually discourage people from understanding them. Because of this, many people don’t read all the terms of contracts before signing them. A university professor of graphic communication pointed to a 32-page user agreement that came with his new smartphone, and said of the company, “They don’t want you to read it.”

In contrast, the Lord is always seeking to communicate with His people in clear and compelling ways, with no attempt to confuse or deceive. When Moses spoke to the Israelites just before they entered the Promised Land, he said, “For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. . . . I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (Deut. 30:11,19).

The Lord wants us to understand His plan and purpose clearly, so that we may love, obey, and cling to Him—for He is our “life and the length of [our] days” (v.20). That’s plain to see.
Father, we want to learn and experience more of whoYou are in our relationship with You. Teach us so thatwe will grow in our understanding of You andYour plan for our lives.
There is no fine print in God’s communication with us.
 
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn


Read: Colossians 3:1-14

Above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. —Colossians 3:14

Bible in a Year:
1 Samuel 10-12; Luke 9:37-62

A popular clothing retailer requires that its sales clerks dress like the models in the store windows who advertise its clothes. This practice is referred to as “guarding their brand.” The idea behind it is that shoppers will be more likely to purchase clothes because they will want to look like the people they see wearing them.

In a consumer-oriented culture, it’s easy to be seduced into thinking that we can “buy” acceptance by wearing the things that beautiful people wear. Retailers would have us believe that looking good will make us desirable.

Sometimes we even convince ourselves that we can win followers for God by making ourselves attractive to the world. But the Bible is clear about what’s really important to God. He wants us to look like Jesus in our character. In a sense, Jesus is our “brand,” for we are being conformed to His image (Rom. 8:29). We attract others to Christ when we put on His attributes, which include tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering (Col. 3:12), and, above all, love (v.14).

Instead of polishing and protecting our own image, we need to be guarding and reflecting the image of God, which is being perfected in us through Christ.
O to be like Thee! blessed Redeemer,This is my constant longing and prayer;Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear. —Chisholm
One of the Spirit’s roles is to form the likeness of Christ in us.
 
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn


Read: Colossians 3:22-24

Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord. —Colossians 3:23

Bible in a Year:
1 Samuel 13-14; Luke 10:1-24

Is ambition wrong? Is it wrong to be driven, to push to be the best? It can be. The difference between right and wrong ambition is in our goal and motivation—whether it’s for God’s glory or our own.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:1, Paul tells us that Christians are to live lives “to please God.” For some, the drive to please Him is an instant transformation at the time of salvation; for others, the transformation is full of stutter-steps and mis-starts. Whether the change happens instantly or gradually, the Christian is to pursue God’s goals, not selfish ones.

So, in the workplace we ask: “How will that job change help me serve others and glorify God?” Ambition oriented toward God is focused outward on Him and others, always asking how He has gifted us and wants to use us.

Paul suggests we work with “sincerity of heart, fearing God” (Col. 3:22). Whatever we’re doing—in the board room, on the docks, wherever we’re working—we’re to serve as if doing it for God (vv.23-24).

We glorify Him most and enjoy Him most when we work with fervor and excellence for His pleasure, not ours. For His service and the service of others, not self-service and personal gain—because He deserves our all.
Lord, help me to apply zest to my work effortsthat I might please You. I offer my actions and wordstoday as a testimony to bring You glory.Use me today to point others to You. Amen.
“We grow small trying to be great.” —Eli Stanley Jones, missionary
 
April 10, 2013— byDavid C. Egner



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Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn


Read: 2 Corinthians 1:12-14

We are not writing any other things to you than what you [can] read or understand. —2 Corinthians 1:13

Bible in a Year:
1 Samuel 15-16; Luke 10:25-42

James Madison, fourth president of the United States, was instrumental in the drafting of the US constitution. He warned against creating laws “so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood.” Based on some of the complicated government forms I’ve read, that’s advice that still needs to be heeded a little more often!

Sometimes when sharing the gospel, we make it more complicated than it needs to be. We can be glad that the Bible presents the good news of salvation in clear, easily understood language. Jesus said to Nicodemus, an educated Pharisee, that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). He later said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (14:6). The apostle Paul said it in straightforward language to the jailor in Philippi who asked how to be saved: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).

God’s precious love story is simple. He sent His Son to rescue us from sin and death. Wonderful news that even children can understand.
Tell me the story of Jesus,Write on my heart every word;Tell me the story most precious,Sweetest that ever was heard. —Crosby
Through faith in Christ, we receive God’s pardon and escape sin’s penalty.
 
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn


Read: Joel 2:21-27

I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten. —Joel 2:25

Bible in a Year:
1 Samuel 17-18; Luke 11:1-28

None of us can say that we have no regrets. Often we are led down paths of bad choices—some paths longer than others—which can have a lingering effect on the mind, body, and soul.

A friend of mine spent a number of years living a life of alcohol and drug abuse. But God did an amazing work in his life, and he recently celebrated 25 years of being free from substance abuse. He now runs a successful business, has a devoted wife, and his children love Jesus. He has a passion to reach out to others who are in the ditch of life, and he serves as a wise and loving mentor in the rescue operations of their lives.

God never gives up on us! Even if we’ve made poor choices in the past that have left us with regret, we can choose how we will live now. We can choose to continue destructive living, simply wallow in regret, or we can run to Christ believing that He has ways to “restore . . . the years that the swarming locust has eaten” (Joel 2:25). When we repentantly seek His healing and freeing power, He is merciful.

While some consequences from the past may remain, we can be confident that God has a good and glorious future for those who trust in Him!
Lord, it is with humble and grateful hearts that wecome to You and lay all that we have been in the pastat Your feet. Take us as we are and make somethingbeautiful out of our lives that brings glory to You!
God never gives up on making something beautiful out of our lives.
 
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn


Read: Luke 16:1-10

He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. —Luke 16:10

Bible in a Year:
1 Samuel 19-21; Luke 11:29-54

Many homes near ours offer produce and perennials for sale by the road. Sometimes we’ll drive up to an unattended stand that operates on the “honor system.” As we make our selection, we put our money into a cash box or an old coffee can. Then we go home to enjoy the freshly picked fruits and vegetables.

But the honor system doesn’t always work. My friend Jackie has a flower stand in front of her house. One day, as she glanced out her window she saw a well-dressed woman with a big hat loading pots of perennials into the trunk of her car. Jackie smiled as she mentally calculated a $50 profit from her labors in the garden. But when she checked the cash box later, it was empty! The honor system revealed that this woman was not honorable.

Perhaps to her, taking the flowers seemed like a small thing. But being honest in little things indicates how we will respond in the big things (Luke 16:10). Honesty in all areas of our lives is one way we can bring honor to Jesus Christ, our Savior.

The best “honor system” for a follower of Christ is Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Give of your best to the Master;Give Him first place in your heart;Give Him first place in your service,Consecrate every part. —Grose
Honesty means never having to look over your shoulder.
 
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn


Read: 1 Timothy 6:6-12

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God. —1 Timothy 6:17

Bible in a Year:
1 Samuel 27-29; Luke 13:1-22

Marilyn and Steven had been married just a few years, and money was tight. But as she looked at their threadbare bedspread, she wanted to replace it. So she decided she would buy a new one with a credit card—hoping to somehow find the money to pay it off.

Her devotional reading for the day surprised her when it pointed her to Proverbs 22:27, “If you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you” (niv). Marilyn decided not to go into debt for a new bedspread that day.

Decisions about the way we spend our money are a personal matter between us and the Lord and can be difficult to make. But God hasn’t left us without help. He tells us: “Honor the Lord with your possessions” (Prov. 3:9), and “You cannot serve both God and Money” (Matt. 6:24 niv).

With such truths in mind, we look further in His Word for help to use money wisely. We find this: “Beware of covetousness” (Luke 12:15). Another says, “The borrower is servant to the lender” (Prov. 22:7). And in 1 Timothy we read, be “ready to give, willing to share” (6:18).

Money is a big issue. God, who provides for all our needs, can show us how to use it to bring Him honor.
Lord, sometimes money and finances areoverwhelming. It’s hard to know what decisionsto make, so please lead me and give the wisdomto use my finances in a way that pleases You.
Never let gold become your god.
 
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les LambornRead: James 1:1-8
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. —James 1:2-3
Bible in a Year:
1 Samuel 30-31; Luke 13:23-35On June 10, 1770, British navigator James Cook’s ship hit a reef off the northeast coast of Australia. He sailed the ship out into deeper water only to hit the reef again, and this time the collision almost sank the ship. This experience moved Cook to write in the ship’s log: “The north point [was named] Cape Tribulation because here began all our troubles.”

Many of us have experienced a trial that has seemed to trigger a string of other trials. The loss of a job, the death of a loved one, an unwanted divorce, or a decline in health could all be part of the list.

Even though a crisis may seem to be our “Cape Tribulation,” God is still sovereign and He most certainly is in control. It is His purpose to use tribulation to build resilience into us. James writes: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” (James 1:2-3). The word translated “patience” means to have staying power or the ability to endure.

In the midst of your life-changing trial, remember that God is still at work. He wants to use your “Cape Tribulation” experience to build your character. He has promised His grace to see you through (2 Cor. 12:9).

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;To added affliction He addeth His mercy,To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.—Annie Johnson Flint. © Renewal 1969. Lillenas PublishingFaith grows best in the winter of trial. —Rutherford
 
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn


Read: John 14:1-6

In My Father’s house are many mansions; . . . I go to prepare a place for you. —John 14:2

Bible in a Year:
2 Samuel 1-2; Luke 14:1-24

Once, during my tenure as a human resource officer for a construction company, we took some jobs in a neighboring state. This meant our workers were faced with a 2-hour commute each way, plus a full workday. To ease the burden, we booked motel rooms for the week, but we also arranged vans and drivers to transport those who decided to commute. Almost every worker took the vans!

One of our grumpiest workers discarded his usual demeanor as he described the thrill and surprise of his wife and four boys on the first night. He hadn’t told them he had an option to come home, so he showed up unexpectedly to surprise them. Later his wife called to thank the company owner, telling him their family was “loyal for life” to anyone who understood how important home was to workers.

Anyone who has been deprived of home, even for a short time, will understand the comfort Jesus’ disciples drew from His words when He promised that an eternal home awaited them (John 14:2). Then, to make their joy complete, Jesus told them He would prepare and guide them to that home, and, joy of joys, He would be there too (v.3).

Remember the greatest comfort of this life: Jesus promised that one day we will go home to be with Him.
Heavenly Father, we praise You for these wordsfrom Jesus that touch the deepest longing inour soul—the hope and comfort of home. Wewant to be with You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
There is no place like home— especially when home is heaven.
 
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn


Read: John 14:1-6

In My Father’s house are many mansions; . . . I go to prepare a place for you. —John 14:2

Bible in a Year:
2 Samuel 1-2; Luke 14:1-24

Once, during my tenure as a human resource officer for a construction company, we took some jobs in a neighboring state. This meant our workers were faced with a 2-hour commute each way, plus a full workday. To ease the burden, we booked motel rooms for the week, but we also arranged vans and drivers to transport those who decided to commute. Almost every worker took the vans!

One of our grumpiest workers discarded his usual demeanor as he described the thrill and surprise of his wife and four boys on the first night. He hadn’t told them he had an option to come home, so he showed up unexpectedly to surprise them. Later his wife called to thank the company owner, telling him their family was “loyal for life” to anyone who understood how important home was to workers.

Anyone who has been deprived of home, even for a short time, will understand the comfort Jesus’ disciples drew from His words when He promised that an eternal home awaited them (John 14:2). Then, to make their joy complete, Jesus told them He would prepare and guide them to that home, and, joy of joys, He would be there too (v.3).

Remember the greatest comfort of this life: Jesus promised that one day we will go home to be with Him.
Heavenly Father, we praise You for these wordsfrom Jesus that touch the deepest longing inour soul—the hope and comfort of home. Wewant to be with You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
There is no place like home— especially when home is heaven.
 
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn


Read: Job 42:10-17

The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. —Job 42:12

Bible in a Year:
2 Samuel 3-5; Luke 14:25-35

Spring is the time of year when God reminds us that things are not always as they seem. Over the course of a few short weeks, what appears hopelessly dead comes to life. Bleak woodlands are transformed into colorful landscapes. Trees whose naked arms reached to heaven all winter, as if pleading to be clothed, suddenly are adorned with lacy green gowns. Flowers that faded and fell to the ground in surrender to the cold rise slowly from the earth in defiance of death.

In Scripture, we read about some apparently hopeless situations. One example is that of a wealthy man named Job whom God described as having integrity (Job 2:3). Disaster struck and Job lost everything important to him. In misery, he said, “My days are . . . spent without hope” (7:6). What appeared to Job and his friends as evidence that God had turned against him was just the opposite. God was so confident of Job’s integrity that He trusted him in this battle with Satan. Later, Job’s hope and life were renewed.

The faithful arrival of spring every year comforts me when I’m in a situation that seems hopeless. With God, there is no such thing. No matter how bleak the landscape of life may look, God can transform it into a glorious garden of color and fragrance.
Dear God, we pray for faith anew,For greater trust in all we do,For hope that never knows defeat,For victory at Thy mercy seat. —Brandt
With God, there is hope even in the most hopeless situation.
 
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn


Read: 1 Peter 5:1-11

May the God of all grace, . . . after you have suffered a while, . . . strengthen, and settle you. —1 Peter 5:10

Bible in a Year:
2 Samuel 6-8; Luke 15:1-10

Church services often end with a benediction. A common one is taken from Peter’s concluding remarks in his first epistle: “May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you” (1 Peter 5:10). Sometimes omitted in the benediction is the phrase “after you have suffered a while.” Why? Perhaps because it is not pleasant to speak of suffering.

It should not surprise us, however, when suffering comes our way. The apostle Paul, who knew well what it was to suffer, wrote: “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).

If we live a life of submission to God (1 Peter 5:6) and resisting the devil (v.9), we can expect to be maligned, misunderstood, and even taken advantage of. But the apostle Peter says that there is a purpose for such suffering. It is to “restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast” (v.10 niv).

God’s path for our Christian growth often leads us through difficulties, but they fortify us to withstand life’s future storms. May God help us to be faithful as we seek to boldly live a life that honors Him.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should beAfraid of persecution’s frown;For Thou hast promised faithful onesThat they shall wear the victor’s crown. —Bosch
When God would make us strong He schools us through hardships.
 
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn


Read: Genesis 2:1-7

The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. —Genesis 2:7

Bible in a Year:
2 Samuel 14-15; Luke 17:1-19

When God chose dust as His artistic medium to create Adam (Gen. 2:7), He didn’t have to worry about running out of material. According to Hannah Holmes, author of The Secret Life of Dust, “Between 1 and 3 billion tons of desert dust fly up into the sky annually. One billion tons would fill 14 million boxcars in a train that would wrap six times around the Earth’s equator.”

No one has to buy dust, for we all have more than we want. I ignore it as long as I can in my house. My reasoning is this: If I don’t disturb it, it’s not as noticeable. But eventually it accumulates to the point that I can no longer pretend it’s not there. So I haul out my cleaning supplies and start removing it from wherever it has found a resting place.

As I remove the dust, I see myself reflected in the smooth surface. Then I see another thing: I see that God took something worthless, dust, and made it into something priceless—you and me and every other person (Gen. 2:7).

The fact that God used dust to create humans makes me think twice about labeling someone or something worthless. Perhaps the very thing that I want to get rid of—a person or problem that annoys me—is the artistic medium God has given to display His glory.
Lord, too often I want to quickly ignoreor dismiss difficult people and circumstances.Help me to be open to learn fromYou through them and to see Your glory.
Being all fashioned of the self-same dust, let us be merciful as well as just. —Longfellow
 
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn


Read: John 14:15-27

The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. —John 14:26

Bible in a Year:
2 Samuel 16-18; Luke 17:20-37

Deborah Kendrick loves to attend Broadway musicals even though she is blind and always struggles to understand the setting and the movements of the characters onstage. Recently, however, she attended a play that used D-Scriptive, a new technology that conveys the visual elements of the stage production through a small FM receiver. A recorded narration, keyed to the show’s light and sound boards, describes the set and the action as it unfolds onstage. Writing in The Columbus Dispatch, Deborah said, “If you ask me if I saw a show last week in New York, my answer is yes . . . I genuinely, unequivocally mean that I saw the show.”

Her experience struck me as a vivid illustration of the Holy Spirit’s role in our understanding of God’s Word. Just before Jesus went to the cross, He told His followers that “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26).

As we open the Bible to read or study, the Spirit of Truth is with us to guide us into all truth (16:13). On our own we are blind, but through the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit we can see.
Break Thou the bread of life, dear Lord, to me,As Thou didst break the loaves beside the sea.Beyond the sacred page I seek Thee, Lord;My spirit pants for Thee, O Living Word. —Lathbury
The Father gave the Spirit to teach us from the Word.
 
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn


Read: Hebrews 12:1-4

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. —Hebrews 12:1

Bible in a Year:
2 Samuel 19-20; Luke 18:1-23

After running 32 kilometers (20 miles) of the Salomon Kielder Marathon in Great Britain, a runner dropped out and rode a bus to a wooded area near the finish line. Then, he re-entered the race and claimed third prize. When officials questioned him, he stated that he stopped running because he was tired.

Many of us can relate to the exhaustion of a worn-out athlete as we run the race of the Christian faith. The book of Hebrews encourages us to “run with endurance the race that is set before us” (12:1). Running with endurance requires that we lay aside the sin that stands in our way and shed the weights that hold us back. We may even have to press on through persecution (2 Tim. 3:12).

To prevent weariness and discouragement in our souls (Heb. 12:3), the Bible urges us to focus on Christ. When we pay more attention to Him than to our struggles, we will notice Him running alongside us—supporting us when we stumble (2 Cor. 12:9) and encouraging us with His example (1 Peter 2:21-24). Keeping our eyes on “the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:2) will help us stay close to the source of our strength and remain faithful to the finish.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,Look full in His wonderful face;And the things of earth will grow strangely dimIn the light of His glory and grace.—H. H. Lemmel. © Renewal 1950. H. H. Lemmel
We can finish strong when we focus on Christ.
 
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn


Read: Acts 13:13-23

Now for a time of about forty years [God] put up with their ways in the wilderness. —Acts 13:18

Bible in a Year:
2 Samuel 21-22; Luke 18:24-43

Years ago I was a camp counselor for some rebellious boys. I found it challenging to deal with their behavior. They would mistreat the animals at the petting zoo and occasionally fight among themselves. So I adopted a calm and firm approach to leading them. And although they often exasperated me, I always made sure their physical needs were taken care of.

Even though I had a kind and loving exterior, I often felt on the inside that I was just “putting up with them.” That caused me to prayerfully reflect on how a loving heavenly Father provides for His rebellious children. In telling the story of the Israelites during the exodus, Paul said, “For a time of about forty years [God] put up with their ways in the wilderness” (Acts 13:18). In Greek “put up with” most likely means to patiently provide for people’s needs despite an ungrateful response.

Some people may not react favorably to our efforts to show care and concern. When this happens, it may help to remember that God is patient with us. And He has given us His Spirit to help us respond with love to those who are hard to love or who are ungrateful (Gal. 5:22-23).

Give us Your patience, Lord, for anyone in our lives who is difficult to love.
I want the love that sweetly bearsWhate’er my Father’s hand may choose to send;I want the love that patiently enduresThe wrongs that come from enemy or friend. —Anon.
Be as patient with others as God has been with you.
 
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