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Showing posts from April 14, 2019

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OUR DAILY BREAD April 21, Sunday WASHED CLEAN Lisa M. Samra The blood of Jesus, [God’s] Son, purifies us from all sin.  1 John 1:7 Jeremiah 2:13, 20–22 2 Samuel 12–13; Luke 16 I couldn’t believe it. A blue gel pen had hidden itself in the folds of my white towels and  survived  the washing machine, only to explode in the dryer. Ugly blue stains were everywhere. My white towels were ruined. No amount of bleach would be able to remove the dark stains. As I reluctantly consigned the towels to the rag pile, I was reminded of the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah’s lament describing the damaging effects of sin. By rejecting God and turning to idols (Jeremiah 2:13), Jeremiah declared that the people of Israel had caused a permanent stain in their relationship with God: “‘Although you wash yourself with soap and use an abundance of cleansing powder, the stain of your guilt is still before me,’ declares the Sovereign Lord” (v. 22). They were powerless ...

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OUR DAILY BREAD April 20, Saturday WHO IS THAT? Jennifer Benson Schuldt David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin.”  2 Samuel 12:13 2 Samuel 12:1–14 2 Samuel 9–11; Luke 15:11–32 When a man installed a security camera outside his house, he checked the video feature to ensure that the system was working. He was alarmed to see a broad-shouldered figure in dark clothing wandering around his yard. He watched intently to see what the man would do. The interloper seemed familiar, however. Finally he realized he wasn’t watching a stranger roam his property, but a recording of  himself  in his own backyard! What might we see if we could step out of our skin and observe ourselves in certain situations? When David’s heart was hardened and he needed an outside perspective—a godly perspective—on his involvement with Bathsheba, God sent Nathan to the rescue (2 Samuel 12). Nathan told David a stor...

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OUR DAILY BREAD April, Thursday FLOURISHING LIKE A FLOWER Alyson Kieda The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field.  Psalm 103:15 Psalm 103:13–22 2 Samuel 1–2; Luke 14:1–24 My youngest grandson is only two months old, yet every time I see him I notice little changes. Recently, as I cooed to him, he looked up at me and smiled! And suddenly I began crying. Perhaps it was joy mixed with remembering my own children’s first smiles, which I witnessed so long ago, and yet it feels like just yesterday. Some moments are like that—inexplicable.   In Psalm 103, David penned a poetic song that praised God while also reflecting on how quickly the joyful moments of our lives pass by: “The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone” (vv. 15–16). But despite acknowledging the brevity of life, David describes the flower as flourishing, or thriving. Although each individual f...

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OUR DAILY BREAD April 18, Wednesday IN THE MOMENT Tim Gustafson The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life . . . . No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.  John 10:17–18 Luke 23:32–46 2 Samuel 3–5; Luke 14:25–35 The ambulance door was about to close—with me on the inside. Outside, my son was on the phone to my wife. From my concussed fog, I called his name. As he recalls the moment, I slowly said, “Tell your mom I love her very much.” Apparently I thought this might be goodbye, and I wanted those to be my parting words. In the moment, that’s what mattered most to me. As Jesus endured His darkest moment, He didn’t merely tell us He loved us; He showed it in specific ways. He showed it to the mocking soldiers who had just nailed Him to a cross: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). He gave hope to a criminal crucified with Him: “Today you will be with me in paradise” (v. 43). Nearing the end, He l...

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OUR DAILY BREAD April 16, TUESDAY CELEBRATING CREATIVITY Xochitl Dixon God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures.”  Genesis 1:20 Genesis 1:1–21 1 Samuel 30–31; Luke 13:23–35 A rarely seen jellyfish waltzed with the currents, four thousand feet deep in the ocean near Baja, California. Its body shone with fluorescent shades of blue, purple, and pink, bright against the backdrop of black water. Elegant tentacles waved gracefully with each pulsing of its bell-shaped hood. As I watched the amazing footage of the  Halitrephes maasi  jellyfish on the National Geographic video, I reflected on how God chose the specific design of this beautiful, gelatinous creature. He also fashioned the other 2,000 types of jellyfish that scientists have identified as of October 2017. Though we acknowledge God as Creator, do we slow down long enough to truly consider the profound truth revealed in the first chapter of the Bible? Our amazing God brought forth light and life int...

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OUR DAILY BREAD April 15, THE MARKS OF FRIENDSHIP Lawrence Darmani You are my friends if you do what I command.  John 15:14 John 15:9–17 1 Samuel 27–29; Luke 13:1–22 As a little boy growing up in Ghana, I enjoyed holding my father’s hand and walking with him in crowded places. He was both my father and my friend, for holding hands in my culture is a mark of true friendship. Walking along, we would talk about a variety of subjects. Whenever I felt lonely, I found consolation with my father. How I valued our companionship! The Lord Jesus called His followers  friends , and He showed them the marks of His friendship. “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you,” He said (John 15:9), even laying down His life for them (v. 13). He showed them His kingdom business (v. 15). He taught them everything God had given Him (v. 15). And He gave them opportunity to share in His mission (v. 16). As our Companion for life, Jesus walks with us. He listens to our hearta...