Our Daily Bread #2

Devotions to Inspire

A LITTLE WORTH PURSUING Read: 2 Kings 4:8-17 Look now, I know that this is a holy man of God. - 2 Kings 4:9 It's not uncommon to hear a speaker introduced with the glowing phrase, "He's truly a man of God." I often wonder how to respond when someone is described in such lofty terms. I worry that we might be putting that person on too high a pedestal, perhaps setting him up for a dangerous fall. What really is a man or a woman of God? In Bible times it was not all that unusual for a prophet of God to receive that title. In fact, it is used 73 times in God's Word to describe people such as Moses (Deuteronomy 33:1), Elijah (2 Kings 1:11), and even the Angel of the Lord (Judges 13:8). It was a title given to a representative of the Almighty. There's another meaning for the title that is a challenge for us to aspire to. In 2 Kings 4, we are told that a Shunammite woman had been observing the prophet Elisha. She remarked to her husband, "Look now, I know that this is a holy man of God." Her reference to him as "holy" may indicate that she noticed he was not only a man of God but also a godly man. In I Peter 1:13-16, the apostle called for us to be holy, as a reflection of God's holiness. We may never hold an honorable title as God's spokesperson, but we are to be holy. That's a title worth pursuing. - Dave Branon More like the Master I would ever be, More of His meekness, more humility; More zeal to labor, more courage to be true, More consecration for work He bids me do. - Gabriel EVERY CHILD OF GOD SHOULD HAVE A GROWING LIKENESS TO THE SON OF GOD. .................... THE WORLD WITHOUT Read: Matthew 23:13-23 You ... have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. - Matthew 23:23 Personal faith in Christ comes with social obligations. If we believe He reigns as Lord over history as well as Lord over our individual lives, we dare not focus solely on the "world within" and forget the "world without." Restricting His sovereignty in our personal struggles demeans Him. What do we imply about the Savior when we seek God's will about moving to another city or marrying someone, but never seek His mind on the plight of the homeless, the rights of the unborn, or racial equality? Cultivating the inner life, vital as that is, without struggling with social issues is too limited and soft. We must think about how Christ wants us to respond to the difficult situations in our community and the world at large. On the other hand, to emphasize social concern without stressing devotion to the Lord resembles dancing on one foot. If we are deeply committed to a cause but not deeply committed to Christ, we may trade away the power of God for the power of politics. The ungodly refuse to acknowledge Christ's lordship in their decisions. But what excuse can we as Christians offer for forgetting that His rule over "the world within" also extends to "the world without"? - Haddon Robinson If I can right a human wrong, If f can help to make one strong, If I can cheer with smile or song, Lord, show me how. - Kleiser ONE MEASURE OF OUR LIKENESS TO CHRIST IS OUR SENSITIVITY TO THE SUFFERING OF OTHERS. ....................... GIVING GREED A BAD NAME Read: Proverbs 1:10-19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners. - Proverbs 1:9 When ace relief pitcher Dennis Eckersley signed a 2-year contract with the Oakland A's in 1992, the press took notice. As a free agent, Eckersley could have joined other teams for a lot more money. But the A's had given him his first chance in baseball - and his second chance after struggling with alcoholism. Loyalty took precedence over getting top dollar. Commenting on Eckersley's decision, an ABC sportscaster summed it up this way: "Loyalty? Obligation? Those are the kinds of words that give greed a bad name." Greed is an insatiable longing for more and more. It can motivate a person to build an enormous empire, often at the expense of others. It entices the rich to get richer and to pay no heed to the poor who are getting poorer. Jesus doesn't condemn wealth or the making of profit, but He always calls us to make His interests in this world our primary interest. The word greed is not found often in Scripture, but the Bible warms about the danger of living only to accumulate more of this world's goods. When we see God meeting our needs, the gratitude and faith that grows in our hearts will help us make choices that give greed a bad name. - Dennis De Haan NEED vs. GREED What's the difference between a need and a want? According to Matthew 6, what needs has God promised to meet? What needs has He supplied recently? GREEDY PEOPLE ALWAYS LOSE MORE THAN THEY GAIN. ......................... I REMEMBER GRANDPA Read: Mark 10:13-16 He took them up in His arms ... and blessed them. - Mark 10:16 Five-year-old Bree climbed up onto Grandpa Dick Bandy's lap. She snuggled close to him and whispered, "I remember what you told me, Grandpa" Her words brought warm assurance to Dick's heart. Here is why. As a grandfather, Dick had decided to be a good influence for Christ to his grandchildren. He didn't preach at them or badger them, but he simply talked to them about the Lord. He and Bree had been talking one day, and she told him she was memorizing some verses. So he helped her to see how the verses she was learning applied to her personally. He asked her to recite John 3:16, one of the verses she had memorized. He told her to substitute her name for the words the "world" and "whoever." Then he told her why - because God loved her and Christ died for her. After listening intently and doing what he suggested, she went on her way. Now it was a few. months later, and that's why Dick was so happy that she remembered. She knew that Jesus loved her. You don't have to be a grandparent to tell a child about the Lord. Nor do you have to be a theologian. Just be willing to take a child into your arms and give him or her the best blessing of all - the message of God's love. - Dave Egner Have you tried to teach the children? Do you daily do your part? Little ones too need the Savior, And they're close to Jesus' heart. - Taylor GOD HAS A GREAT CONCERN FOR LITTLE CHILDREN. .......................... SILENCING THE CRITICS Read: Nehemiah 2:11-20 The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we ... will arise and build. - Nehemiah 2:20 When the Israelites started to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, they were mocked by their enemies. But their leader Nehemiah and his helpers, convinced that the Lord was with them, completed the project in spite of the opposition. In more recent times, the builders of the Panama Canal faced enormous obstacles of geography, climate, and disease. Most of the construction was supervised by Colonel George Washington Goethals. He had to endure severe criticism from many back home who predicted that he would never complete the "impossible task." But the great engineer was resolute and pressed steadily forward in his work without responding to those who opposed him. "Aren't you going to answer your critics?" a subordinate inquired. "In time," Goethals replied. "How?" the man asked. The colonel smiled and said, "With the canal!" And his answer came on August 15, 1914, when the canal opened to traffic for the first time. If we tried to respond to all who criticize us as we follow the Lord, nothing worthwhile would be accomplished. But if we are confident we are doing God's will, we can press on with the work. Completing the task is often the best way to silence the critics. - Richard De Haan It matters not what others say in ridicule or fun; I want to live that I may hear Him say to me, "Well done!" - Beers GOD JUDGES US BY WHAT WE DO, NOT BY WHAT OTHERS SAY.           YES TRUE, BUT HE ALSO SAID "GO AND SIN NO MORE."              THEN HOW MANY KNOW THE BIBLE DEFINITION FOR "SIN"—            AH READ PS 119 FOR GOOD STarters—— Keith Hunt ...................... HANDLING REGRET Read: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 I am ... not worthy to be called an apostle ... But by the grace of God I am what I am. - 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 I know regret. You probably do too. We all have times when we wish we could erase the sins and failures indelibly impressed on our minds. The fearful power of regret moved on ex-GI in 1974 to send a note to the US government that read, "I'm sending $10 for blankets I stole in World War II. My mind could not rest. Sorry I'm late. I want to be ready to meet God." His money was placed in a "Conscience Fund" began in 1811, which (receives an average of $45,000 each year and has taken in a total of more than $3,500,000. Yes, regret is a powerful emotion. The people who sent this money probably found great relief from their gnawing feelings of guilt. But this action by itself cannot bring peace with God. Only as we personally put our trust in Christ as our Savior do we experience God's complete forgiveness of all our sin. Years after the apostle Paul became a child of God, he still regretted that he had persecuted Christians (1 Timothy 1:12 15). He couldn't undo the past, and he didn't try. Instead, he devoted himself to do God's will. The Lord still used him in a mighty way. This assures us that past mistakes needn't ruin our lives - even when we can't do anything to undo them. What a wonderful salvation we have! - Herb Vander Lag The vain regrets of yesterday have vanished through God's pardoning grace; The guilty fear has passed away, And joy has come to take its place. - Achley CHRIST REMOVES OUR GUILTY PAST AND GIVES US A GLORIOUS FUTURE. ........................... WHO NEEDS TO PRAY? Read: Luke 18:1-8 (Jesus) spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart. - Luke 18:1 A professor who teaches Christianity in a graduate school was participating in a group discussion on a serious matter. When someone suggested that they ask God for guidance, the professor protested; "Pray! Who needs to pray? We're men. We can solve our own problems!" Even some people who claim to be Christians have that kind of self-sufficient attitude. They think because they have brains, experience, and technology, prayer isn't necessary. How wrong they are! Henry Stanley (1841-1904), the famous African explorer, wrote, "On all my expeditions, prayer made me stronger, morally and mentally, than any of my non-praying companions. It did not blind my eyes, or dull my mind, or close my ears; but on the contrary, it gave me confidence. It did more; it gave me joy and pride in my work, and lifted me hopefully over the 1,500 miles of forest tracks, eager to face the day's perils." Jesus prayed. And He told us to pray always "and not lose heart" (Luke 18:1). Without prayerful dependence on God, we lack what it takes to do His will day after day. Prayer enables us to draw on our Father's limitless resources of grace. Who needs to pray? We all do. - Vernon Grounds I need Thee, O I need Thee, Every hour I need Thee! O bless me now, my Savior - I come to Thee! - Hawks NOTHING IS TOO GREAT OR TOO SMALL TO BRING TO GOD.