DAILY BREAD #35

 Our Daily Bread #35

Teachings to Perfection

CARDBOARD KIDS Read: Proverbs 1:8-19 My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. - Proverbs 1:10       When Mike Wood began to advertise his sign company, he didn't know how useful his work would become. Some of his signs were lifesize cardboard pictures of kids, which he put close to the street.      Besides advertising his business, the signs had another effect. Motorists thought the cutouts were real children and began to drop their speed. Now Mike sells the cardboard kids to parents who want to slow down speeding drivers in their area. Mike said, "We truly hope that some of our standups help to control speeding in neighborhoods around the country."      Parents work at protecting their children from physical danger. But there are other dangers as well. Solomon, the writer of Proverbs 1, was concerned about the people who would pose spiritual danger to his son. He warned him about those who would entice him to do evil (vv.10-14) and told him, "Do not walk in the way with them, keep your foot from their path; for their feet run to evil" (vv.15-16).      We need to protect our children by teaching them God's Word and training them to avoid evil influences. Busy streets are hazardous for our children, but the enticement of taking an evil path is far more dangerous. - Anne Cetas  Children are a heritage, A gift from God above; He asks you to protect and care, And nourish them with love. - Hess TOMORROW'S WORLD WILL BE SHAPED BY WHAT WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN TODAY.                             FOR A LIMITED TIME Read: James 4:13-17 You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. - James 4:14      On a crisp October morning, our local newspaper featured a stunning photo of sun-drenched aspen trees whose leaves had turned autumn gold. The caption read: FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY. The irresistible invitation to take a drive through the mountains to savor the brilliant colors conveyed the urgency of doing it quickly. Autumn leaves that are golden today are often gone tomorrow.      Our opportunities to obey God's promptings are also fleeting. James warned against an arrogance that assumes endless days will be available to carry out our good intentions. "You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.... Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin" (4:14,17).      Is there an act of kindness or encouragement that God has urged you to do for someone in His name? How long has it been since that first prompting? With so many demands on our time, the urgent tasks demand our attention while the important things can be postponed. But a time will come when even the important can no longer be done.      When we follow God's urging with our action now, today will be golden. - David McCasland If God is prompting you today, To help someone who has a need, Don't hesitate, the time is short; Tomorrow is not guaranteed. - Sper DOING WHAT'S RIGHT TODAY MEANS NO REGRETS TOMORROW.                             READ A BANNED BOOK Read: Jer.36"1-8,21-26 Write ... all the words that I have spoken to you ... that everyone may turn from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin. - Jer. 36:2-3       (October 3 Friday) The American Library Association has designated this week as Banned Books Week in celebration of the freedom to read and to express one's opinion "even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular."      The Bible is the all-time bestselling book, but in some parts of the world it is banned because it's considered dangerous. The Bible is dangerous, however, only to those who fear finding out that they are wrong. It's dangerous to those who exploit the weak and the innocent, who use force to keep others enslaved in poverty and ignorance - who don't want to give up their favorite sin, who believe that salvation can be found apart from Christ.      No one wants to be told they are wrong. No one wants to hear that their behavior is putting themselves and those they love in danger or that God's patience will eventually wear out. Yet that was the message God told Jeremiah to write (Jer. 36:2). When His message was read to King Jehoiakim, the king cut up the scroll and threw it into the fire (v.23).      The only way to know we are right is to be willing to discover where we are wrong. Read the all-time bestselling banned book, and let it reveal to you the truth about Godand about yourself. - Julie Ackerman Link Lord Jesus, show Thyself to me, In very truth and deed; Help me to find, O Christ, in Thee, More than my deepest need. - Clarkson THE BIBLE SHOWS US A PICTURE OF WHO WE REALLT ARE.                          CURIOSITY OR COMPASSION? Read: John 9:1-12 [Jesus'] disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" - John 9:2      Why is it that when we hear about someone who is suffering, we are more interested in the details of what, why, when, and where, than we are about how we can help?      When the disciples passed the blind beggar (John 9:1), their curiosity about why he was suffering outweighed the prospect of reaching out to help him. "Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" they asked (v.2). Their pop-quiz for Jesus revealed that they were dreadfully out of step with their Master's heart. In fact, lurking beneath their question was a judgmental spirit - a desire to know whom to blame - as if that would make anyone feel better!      Thankfully. Jesus modeled a compassionate response. Rather than speculation and condemnation, He marshaled His resources to help, which in this case meant complete healing. He made it clear that the man's blindness was intended to provide a moment for God to be magnified through Jesus' compassionate touch.      Feeling curious about somebody's problem? Shift into Jesus' mode and move past the point of curiosity to his or her point of need. Reach out and touch someone's pain. Show the compassionate love of Jesus in action. - Joe Stowell Amid the snares misfortune lays Unseen, beneath the steps of all, Blest is the Love that seeks to raise, And stay and strengthen those who fall. - Bryant DO YOU WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS? REPLACE CURIOSITY WITH COMPASSION.                            THE CHAIN OF UNGRACE Read: Matthew 6:9-15 Forgive us our debts, as we gorgive our debtors. - Matthew 6:12      When I feel wronged; I can contrive a hundred reasons against forgiveness. "He needs to learn a lesson." "I'll let her stew for a while; it'll do her good." "It's not up to me to make the first move." When I finally soften to the point of granting forgiveness, it seems a leap from hard logic to mushy sentiment.      One factor that motivates me to forgive is that as a Christian I am commmanded to, as the child of a Father who forgives. Jesus said, "If you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses" (Mark 11:25).      But beyond that, I can identify three pragmatic reasons.      First, forgiveness halts the cycle of blame and pain, breaking the chain of ungrace. Without it we remain bound to the people we can't forgive, held in their vise grip.      Second, forgiveness loosens the stranglehold of guilt in the perpetrator. It allows the possibility of transformation in the guilty party, even if a just punishment is still required.      And third, forgiveness creates a remarkable linkage, placing the forgiver on the same side as the party who did the wrong. We are not as different from the wrongdoer as we would like to think, for we too must ask our heavenly Father, "Forgive us our debts" (Matt.6:12). - Philip Yancey When I consider Calvary's dismay, The shame, the scorn, the scourging borne by You, Resentment melts; I am compelled to say, "Forgive them, Lord, they know not what they do! " - Mollon HE WHO CANNOT FORGIVE OTHERS BURNS THE BRIDGE OVER WHICH HE HIMSELF MUST PASS. - Herbert                                   ERASMUS Read: Psalm 119:17-24 Your Word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. - Jeremiah 15:16      For centuries, many Christians were not permitted to read God's Word in their own language. Instead, they were encouraged to attend Latin services that few could understand.      Then, in 1516, the Dutch scholar Erasmus compiled and published the first New Testament in the original Greek language. This landmark work was the basis for the later publication of Luther's German Bible, Tyndale's English Bible, and the King James Version. These translations made the Scriptures understandable to millions of people around the world.      Erasmus could not have known the influence his Greek New Testament would have, but he did have a passion for getting its message to laypeople from all walks of life. In the preface he wrote: "I would have [the Gospels and the Epistles] translated into all languages .... I long for the plowboy to sing them to himself as he follows the plow [and] the weaver to hum them to the tune of his shuttle."      The prophet Jeremiah reflected this same passion for the Word: "Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your Word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart" (15:16).      Having God's Word in our own language allows us to experience the joy of meditating on it each day. - Dennis Fisher More precious than gold is God's Word to me, Much better than pearls from deep in the sea; For in the Lord's Word I take great delight, And it is my joy each day and each night. - Fitzhugh THE TREASURES OF TRUTH IN GOD'S WORD ARE BEST MINED WITH THE SPADE OF MEDITATION.                               A SPECIAL SEAT Read: Luke 10:38-42 [Martha] had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. - Luke 10:39      I've never sat in the first-class section of an airplane. But I still hold out the hope that someday I'll get on the plane and the flight attendant will stop me and say, "Come with me. I have a special seat for you:"      That's why I was pretty excited when a friend gave my sister some tickets for an event and we realized that they were for box seats. Instead of sitting shoulder to shoulder with strangers all around us, we sat in a private compartment where we could see and hear everything perfectly. That evening we felt privileged and special.      Remember Jesus' friends, Mary and Martha? Although Martha had the opportunity to enjoy having Jesus as her guest, she soon became frustrated with her sister Mary and overwhelmed with the busyness of her preparations. Certainly understandable to a lot of us! Jesus made it clear to her, however, that sometimes it's necessary to step away from the unending pressures of life and spend undistracted time with Him. God has given us the opportunity to have personal moments with Him. By taking the time just to be with the Lord, we are fed, refreshed, and renewed.      Jesus commended Mary for taking time to sit and learn at her Savior's feet (Luke 10:42). As it turned out - she had the best seat in the house! - Cindy Hess Kasper Take time to be holy, The world rushes on; Spend much time in secret With Jesus alone. - Longstaff JESUS LONGS FOR OUR FELLOWSHIP EVEN MORE THAN WE LONG FOR HIS.                              .................