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Showing posts from April 5, 2020

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OUR DAILY BREAD April 12, Sunday GRIEF OVERTURNED Linda Washington I have seen the Lord! John 20:18 John 20:11–18 1 Samuel 19–21; Luke 11:29–54 According to Jim and Jamie Dutcher, filmmakers known for their knowledge of wolves, when happy, wolves wag their tails and romp about. But after the death of a pack member, they grieve for weeks. They visit the place where the pack member died, showing grief by their drooping tails and mournful howls.  Grief is a powerful emotion we’ve all experienced, particularly at the death of a loved one or of a treasured hope. Mary Magdalene experienced it. She’d traveled with and helped support Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:1–3). But His cruel death on a cross separated them. The only thing left for Mary to do for Jesus was to finish anointing His body for burial—a task the Sabbath had interrupted. But imagine how Mary felt when she found not a lifeless, broken body but a living Savior! Though she hadn’t at first recognized the man standing before ...

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OUR DAILY BREAD April 11, Saturday CURTAINED OFF Lisa M. Samra Since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place . . . by a new and living way . . . let us draw near to God.  Hebrews 10:19–22 Hebrews 10:19–25 1 Samuel 17–18; Luke 11:1–28 As my flight reached cruising speed, the flight attendant pulled back the curtain that cordoned off first class, and I was given a startling reminder of the stark differences between areas on airplanes. Some travelers get to board first, enjoying premium seating with extra legroom and personalized service. The curtain was a humbling reminder of my separation from those perks. Exclusionary distinctions between groups of people can be found throughout history, including, in a way, even God’s temple in Jerusalem, though not due to one’s ability to pay more. Non-Jewish people were only allowed to worship in the outer court. Next came the women’s court, and even closer, an area designated for men. Finally, the holy of holies, seen as the place ...

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OUR DAILY BREAD April 10, FRIDAY STANDING FIRM Amy Boucher Pye Stand firm. Let nothing move you.  1 Corinthians 15:58 Mark 15:33–41 1 Samuel 15–16; Luke 10:25–42 In the Middle Eastern country where they live, Adrian and his family suffer persecution for their faith. Yet, through it all, they demonstrate Christ’s love. Standing in his church courtyard, which was pummeled by bullets when terrorists used it as training ground, he said, “Today is Good Friday. We remember that Jesus suffered for us on the cross.” And suffering, he continued, is something that believers in Jesus there understand. But his family chooses to remain in their homeland: “We’re still here, still standing.” These believers follow the example of the women who stood watching as Jesus died on the cross (Mark 15:40). They—including Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and Salome—were brave to stay there, for friends and family members of an enemy of the state could be ridiculed and punished...

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OUR DAILY BREAD April 9,  Thursday STAY ON THE WAY MIKE WITTMER Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?  John 14:5 John 14:1–7 1 Samuel 13–14; Luke 10:1–24 Dusk fell as I followed Li Bao along the tops of terraced walls cut into the mountains of central China. I had never been this way before, and I couldn’t see more than one step ahead or how steep the ground dropped off to our left. I gulped and stuck close to Li. I didn’t know where we were going or how long it would take, but I trusted my friend. I was in the same position as Thomas, the disciple who always seemed to need reassurance. Jesus told His disciples that He must leave to prepare a place for them and that they knew “the way to the place where [He was] going” (John 14:4). Thomas asked a logical follow-up question: “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (v. 5). Jesus didn’t quench Thomas’s doubt by explaining where He was taking them. He simply assure...

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OUR DAILY BREAD April 8, Wednesday GOD IS WORTH MORE XOCHITL DIXON We have left everything to follow you!  Mark 10:28 Mark 10:17–28 1 Samuel 10–12; Luke 9:37–62 Having been hurt by believers in Jesus in the past, my mom responded in anger when I dedicated my life to Him. “So, now you’re going to judge me? I don’t think so.” She hung up the phone and refused to talk to me for a whole year. I grieved, but eventually realized a relationship with God was even more important than one of my most valued relationships. I prayed for her every time she refused my calls and asked God to help me love her well. Finally, we reconciled. A few months later, she said, “You’ve changed. I think I’m ready to hear more about Jesus.” Soon after, she accepted Christ and lived the rest of her days loving God and others. Like the man who ran up to Jesus asking how he could inherit eternal life but left in sorrow because he didn’t want to part with his wealth (Mark 10:17–22), I struggled with...

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OUR DAILY BREAD April 7, Tuesday THE FULL REVEAL Lisa M. Samra Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”  Mark 6:50 Mark 6:45–56 1 Samuel 7–9; Luke 9:18–36 Moviegoers heard the beautiful voice of Emily Blunt as the starring role in  Mary Poppins Returns.  Amazingly, it was four years into their marriage before her husband discovered her vocal talent. In an interview, he revealed his surprise the first time he heard her sing, thinking, “When were you going to tell me this?” In relationships we often learn new, sometimes unexpected, details that surprise us. In Mark’s gospel, Christ’s disciples initially started with an incomplete picture of Jesus and struggled to grasp all of who He is. In an encounter on the Sea of Galilee, however, Jesus revealed more of Himself—this time the extent of His power over the forces of nature. After feeding a crowd numbering...

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OUR DAILY BREAD April 6, Monday STRENGTH IN SUFFERING Alyson Kieda Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness  Matthew 5:10 Matthew 5:1–12 1 Samuel 4–6; Luke 9:1–17 In 1948, Harlan Popov, the pastor of an underground church, was taken from his home for a “little questioning.” Two weeks later, he received around-the-clock interrogation and no food for ten days. Each time he denied being a spy, he was beaten. Popov not only survived his harsh treatment but also led fellow prisoners to Jesus. Finally, eleven years later, he was released and continued to share his faith until, two years later, he was able to leave the country and be reunited with his family. He spent the following years preaching and raising money to distribute Bibles in closed countries. Like countless believers in Jesus throughout the ages, Popov was persecuted because of his faith. Christ, long before His own torture and death and the subsequent persecu...