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| "Our Daily Bread" by the R.B.C. |
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 Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:03 am
How To Get A New Heart
February 29, 2012 — by Dave Branon
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Ezekiel 36:26-31
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. —Ezekiel 36:26
Bible in a year:
A friend who is a heart transplant cardiologist has an appreciation of Ezekiel 36:26 that not many of us can understand. Mike manages the pre-operation and post-operation care for heart-transplant patients. He’s often in the operating room as surgeons remove diseased, discolored hearts and replace them with vibrant, pink “new” donor hearts.
Mike explains that the process for selecting who gets a “new” physical heart is similar to who can get a “new heart” from God (Ezek. 36:26). In both cases, need alone is the criterion.
Ezekiel’s mention of the people of Israel someday getting a “new heart” is a foreshadowing of the change that takes place at salvation. Ephesians 4:24 and 2 Corinthians 5:17 refer to it as “new man” and “new creation.” For the Israelites of Ezekiel’s day and for those of us living today, only one criterion must be met for us to acquire a “transplant.” We must need it. It matters not whether we’re rich or poor, respected or scorned. Citizenship, social status, and ethnicity are inconsequential. If we need a new heart from God, we can have one through faith in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection.
What indicates that need? As sinners, all of us need a new heart. Have you had a spiritual heart transplant?
Christ asks you for nothing—
Come just as you are;
Come sinful, come guilty,
Come give Him your heart. —Anon.
We need more than a new start— we need a new heart!
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:08 am
Can I Trust You?
March 1, 2012 — by Jennifer Benson Schuldt
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Joshua 9:1-16
The Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. —1 Chronicles 28:9
Bible in a Year:
Joshua 7-9
According to lie-detection experts, “Our natural tendency is to trust people.” However, not everyone is trustworthy all the time. Signs that someone may be lying include fidgeting, lack of eye contact, and noticeable pauses in speaking. Even with these clues, experts warn that it is still quite tough to tell deceivers from honest people.
Joshua needed to know if he could trust the Gibeonites. When they discovered that God wanted him to get rid of some neighboring nations (Josh. 9:24), they pretended to be from a faraway land. They arrived in worn-out tunics and patched sandals, claiming, “Our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey” (v.13). The Israelites were suspicious (v.7), but they “did not ask counsel of the Lord” (v.14); and Joshua unwisely made a peace treaty with the deceivers.
Many want to gain our trust: salespeople, financial advisors, or estranged family members. If we wonder: “Can I trust you?” we shouldn’t decide quickly, based only on what seems right to us. It’s better to seek counsel from God’s Word (Ps. 119:105), godly people (Prov. 11:14), and God Himself (James 1:5). Wisdom from above will help us decide who to trust.
Protect us from deceivers, Lord,
Who lie and plot to take
Advantage of us and confuse
Decisions we must make. —Sper
A desire for discernment is God’s call to prayer.
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:09 am
I’m Good
March 2, 2012 — by Bill Crowder
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Matthew 19:16-26
[Jesus said,] “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” —Matthew 19:17
Bible in a Year:
Joshua 10-12
When someone asks, “How are you?” it has become common for the response to be, “I’m good.” When we say this, we are really saying, “I’m well” or “I’m doing fine,” speaking of our general well-being and not our character. I have answered with that response more times than I can count, but lately it has begun to bother me. Because, whether we realize it or not, we are saying something specific when we use the word good.
Jesus once encountered a wealthy young man who called Him “Good Teacher” (Matt. 19:16). The young man was right, for Jesus is both good (completely perfect) and the Teacher. He is the only One who can truly make that claim.
The Lord, however, challenged the man to think about what he was saying in using that term good. “So He said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments’” (v.17). Jesus wanted the man to understand that the assertion he was making needed to be taken seriously. Jesus can be called “good” because He is God.
Next time someone asks you, “How are you?” it is great to be able to say, “I’m well.” But remember, only Jesus is good.
Eternal with the Father, One,
Is Jesus Christ, His own dear Son;
In Him God’s fullness we can see,
For Jesus Christ is deity. —D. De Haan
God is great and God is good, but without Him we are neither.
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:10 am
Caricature God
March 3, 2012 — by Julie Ackerman Link
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Exodus 34:1-9
The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty. —Numbers 14:18
Bible in a Year:
Joshua 13-15
Caricature artists set up their easels in public places and draw pictures of people who are willing to pay a modest price for a humorous image of themselves. Their drawings amuse us because they exaggerate one or more of our physical features in a way that is recognizable but funny.
Caricatures of God, on the other hand, are not funny. Exaggerating one of His attributes presents a distorted view that people easily dismiss. Like a caricature, a distorted view of God is not taken seriously. Those who see God portrayed only as an angry and demanding judge are easily lured away by someone who emphasizes mercy. Those who see God as a kindhearted grandfather will reject that image when they need justice. Those who see God as an intellectual idea rather than a living, loving being eventually find other ideas more appealing. Those who see God as a best friend often leave Him behind when they find human friends who are more to their liking.
God declares Himself to be merciful and gracious, but also just in punishing the guilty (Ex. 34:6-7).
As we put our faith into action, we need to avoid portraying God as having only our favorite attributes. We must worship all of God, not just what we like.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—
Oh, Thou blessed Trinity:
One in essence, yet three persons—
Thou, our God, we worship Thee. —D. De Haan
All-powerful, merciful, wise, and just is the God in whom we trust.
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:12 am
In This Very Room
March 4, 2012 — by David C. McCasland
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: John 20:19-29
Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” —John 20:26
Bible in a Year:
Joshua 16-18
At our church we often sing the beautiful song by Ron and Carol Harris: “In This Very Room.” It begins, “In this very room there’s quite enough love for one like me.” This song reminds me that although there is great encouragement in gathering with other Christians for worship, the important thing is that Christ is present. But it goes beyond that. He is with us not just at church but in every room of our lives.
I wonder where you’re reading this—a kitchen, a coffee shop, a prison cell, a military post? Perhaps you’re in a hospital or a courtroom. It may be a room that reflects everything that’s right in your life or a place that represents all that’s wrong. And you might be afraid.
In the aftermath of the awful reality of Jesus’ crucifixion, His followers met in a familiar room. John records that “when the doors were shut [locked] where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, ‘Peace be with you’” (John 20:19 ). A week later it happened again when Jesus entered through locked doors to bring peace through His presence (vv.26-29 ).
Wherever you are today, “There’s quite enough hope and quite enough power to chase away any gloom, for Jesus, Lord Jesus, is in this very room.”
When in the midst of life with its problems,
Bent with our toil and burdens we bear;
Wonderful thought and deep consolation:
Jesus is always there. —Lillenas
Our loving God is always near—forever by our side.
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:13 am
The Dalton Gang
March 5, 2012 — by Dennis Fisher
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Proverbs 4:10-19
He who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death. —James 5:20
Bible in a Year:
Joshua 19-21
The Dalton brothers were infamous outlaws during the late 1800s in the US. They started out on the right side of the law as officers. But then they followed a gradual descent into crime and became known for bank and train robberies. Their day of reckoning came when they tried to hold up two banks at once. Hearing of the robberies, the townspeople armed themselves and began to fire on the Dalton Gang. When the smoke cleared, Emmett Dalton was the sole survivor.
After serving 15 years in the penitentiary, Emmett was pardoned and set free. While in prison, he had come to see the error of his ways. So when he was released, he wanted to deter young people from a life of crime. Drawing from his own experience, Emmett wrote and starred in a film about the Dalton Gang in which he showed the folly of being an outlaw. In many ways, Emmett’s film was telling others: “Do not enter the path of the wicked” (Prov. 4:14).
In a similar way, when we have sinned but have genuinely repented and experienced God’s forgiveness, we can tell our own story. We can encourage others not to make the same mistakes we have made. James wrote, “He who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death” (5:20).
If others learn from our mistakes,
And it saves them from the pain
That we ourselves experienced—
Then it wasn’t all in vain. —Sper
When we learn from our mistakes, we are less likely to repeat them.
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:14 am
Dingo The Dog
March 6, 2012 — by David H. Roper
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Philippians 2:1-4
Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also the interests of others. —Philippians 2:4
Bible in a Year:
Joshua 22-24
Harry Tupper is a fishing legend here in Idaho where I live. There’s a spot on Henry’s Lake over on the east side of the state that’s named for him: “Tupper’s Hole.”
The thing I remember most about Harry, aside from his rare ability to catch those huge Henry’s Lake trout, was his dog, Dingo. Now there was a dog! Dingo used to sit alongside Harry in his boat and watch intently while he fished. When the old fisherman hooked a trout, Dingo would bark furiously until the fish was netted and released.
Dingo’s enthusiasm taught me something: It’s better to get more excited about what others are doing than what we are doing.
So, as I read Philippians 2:4 and think about Dingo, I ask myself: Do I spend time thinking about “the interests of others”? Do I get as excited about what God is doing in and through a friend as I do about what He is doing in and through me? Do I long to see others grow in grace and find success, though it may have been my efforts that made them prosper?
This is the measure of greatness, for we are most like God when our thoughts for ourselves are lost in our thoughts for others. Paul said it best: “Let each esteem others better than himself” (2:3). Is that how we live?
Love feels the sorrows others feel,
It longs to give support,
And love is quick to take delight
In every good report. —D. De Haan
A life filled with love for the Lord and for others is a fulfilling life.
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:15 am
Handle With Care
March 7, 2012 — by Joe Stowell
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Psalm 90:1-12
So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. —Psalm 90:12
Bible in a Year:
Judges 1-4
We live in a society that’s overrun with warning labels. From disclaimers on pills, to “use-by” dates on soup cans, to danger signs on chain saws—warning labels draw our attention to impending hazards. Recently I received a box with a precious gift inside. The sender had attached a big red sticker to the package that said, fragile: handle with care. When I think about life and its fragility, I wonder if we shouldn’t all wear one of those red stickers.
It’s not a good idea to cruise through life thinking that we are invincible and that everything is going to be just fine—only to discover that we are far more fragile than we thought. It takes only a call from the doctor telling us that we have a life-threatening disease, or the swerve of a careless driver in front of us to remind us that life is extremely uncertain. There are no guarantees! None of us can be certain of another breath. So the psalmist has an important piece of advice . . . a warning label of sorts: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps. 90:12).
Let’s choose to live as though this were our last moment on earth by loving more deeply, forgiving more readily, giving more generously, and speaking more kindly.
That’s how to handle life with care.
To run the race of life in Christ,
This must become your daily goal:
Confess your sins, trust God for strength,
Use discipline and self-control. —Sper
Yesterday is gone; tomorrow is uncertain; today is here. Use it wisely.
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:16 am
The Enemy Of Trust
March 8, 2012 — by David C. McCasland
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Judges 7:2-8
The Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many.” —Judges 7:2
Bible in a Year:
Judges 5-8
Military commanders always want to have enough troops to accomplish their mission. Most would prefer having too many not too few, but not everyone agrees on just how many troops will be enough.
When Gideon recruited an army of 32,000 men to stand against those who oppressed the Israelites, the Lord told him, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me’” (Judg. 7:2).
So the Lord began to reduce Gideon’s army. When the fearful were allowed to leave, 22,000 men went home (v.3). A second reduction cut the force from the remaining 10,000 to 300 troops, of whom the Lord said, “By the three hundred . . . I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand” (v.7). And so it happened (vv.19-23).
In our life of faith, our resources can become the enemy of trust. God wants us to depend on Him, not our own strength, whether physical, financial, or intellectual.
When the Lord reduces our resources from “32,000 to 300,” it is not punishment. It is preparation for Him to be glorified through our lives as we acknowledge and trust His power.
Trust in God and you will know
He can vanquish any foe;
Simply trust Him day by day—
He will be your strength and stay. —D. De Haan
When God gives us an impossible task— it becomes possible.
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:17 am
Acts Of Gratitude
March 9, 2012 — by Randy Kilgore
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Micah 6:1-8
What does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? —Micah 6:8
Bible in a Year:
Judges 9-12
Few people knew me better as a boy than Francis Allen, the pastor who led me to Jesus Christ. A fire-and-brimstone preacher in the pulpit, he was a near-perfect example of the gentleness of God’s love outside of it.
Early on, Francis recognized a tendency in me to try to “buy” approval by working harder than expected and doing more than people asked. “These are good traits to give as gifts to others,” he would tell me, “but you should never use them to buy acceptance and love from people—or from God.”
To help me understand this, he told me to read Jesus’ promise in Matthew 11:30 that His “yoke is easy”—a statement that sometimes seems too simple to be true. Then, pointing to Micah 6:6-8, he said: “Now read this and ask yourself if there are any gifts you can give God that He doesn’t already have.” The answer, of course, is no.
Then he went on to explain that God cannot be bought—the gift of grace is free. Since this is true, what should be our response? “To do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (v.8 ). I learned that these were acts of gratitude—not of purchase.
Let Micah 6 be a reminder that grace is free and that faithful living is our grateful response.
We’re saved by grace through faith alone,
Good works can have no part;
But God rewards each loving deed
That’s done with all our heart. —D. De Haan
Good works are not the means of salvation but the result.
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:20 am
Shine Anyway
March 10, 2012 — by Dave Branon
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Ephesians 5:1-10
You are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. —Ephesians 5:8
Bible in a Year:
Judges 13-15
To be honest, I wasn’t happy to be making another trip to the store. For the previous 4 weeks, my wife and I had been trying to get a refund for a bad refrigerator. As I spoke with the manager—again—it seemed that we were heading down another dead-end road. As we talked, I wondered if we would ever get our money back, but I tried to be gracious.
At one point the manager said, “By now, customers are usually yelling at me, but you’ve been so patient.” Then he said, “Let’s try something else.” He asked me some questions and punched some numbers into a cash register. After a short delay—and some stories about irate customers—the machine spit out a receipt showing a refund! Our appliance nightmare was over. “Thanks for being so good to work with,” he said as we parted ways.
While I think being nice when I didn’t feel nice helped in this process, getting refunds is not why we should show kindness to others. The real reason is that as Christians we are to reflect the light of Jesus (Eph. 5:8 ) on everyone—whether it’s an irate neighbor, a bumbling waiter, or a department store manager. Our speech and behavior are to be a positive witness (Eph. 4:29-32; Col. 4:6). Are you facing a conflict? Let Jesus’ light shine through.
As people of the Lord we’re called
To follow in His way;
And then all those who watch our lives
Will see Him on display. —Sper
People are attracted to Christ when you shine His light from your life.
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:21 am
Beauty In The Church
March 11, 2012 — by Julie Ackerman Link
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Exodus 36:1-7
All who are gifted artisans among you shall come and make all that the Lord has commanded. —Exodus 35:10
Bible in a Year:
Judges 16-18
When my husband, Jay, and I decided to build a new house, we didn’t recruit friends and family who enjoy working with power tools; instead we hired a skilled builder to create something both functional and beautiful.
Beauty in the church building, however, is not always a high priority. Some associate it with impracticality, so anything ornate or decorative is considered wasteful. But that wasn’t God’s attitude when He established a place of worship for the ancient Israelites. He didn’t recruit just anybody to set up an ordinary tent. He appointed skilled craftsmen, Bezalel and Oholiab (Ex. 36:1), to decorate the tabernacle with finely-woven tapestries and intricately designed ornaments (37:17-20).
I think the beauty was important then because it reminded the people of the worth of God in their worship. During the dry and dusty days of desert wanderings, they needed a reminder of God’s majesty.
The beauty created by God’s people in worship settings today can serve the same purpose. We offer God our best talents because He is worthy. Beauty also gives us a glimpse of heaven and whets our appetites for what God is preparing for our future.
Lord, whether or not we’re able to worship in a
beautiful place, we ask You to create in us beautiful
hearts that honor You in our times of worship.
You are deserving of all our praise. Amen.
Beauty reflects God.
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:22 am
The Greatest
March 12, 2012 — by Bill Crowder
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Matthew 22:34-40
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment. —Matthew 22:37-38
Bible in a Year:
Judges 19-21
What is the greatest thing in sports? Is it championships? Records? Honors? In the Palestra, the University of Pennsylvania basketball arena, a plaque offers a different perspective on the greatest thing in sports. It reads: “To win the game is great. To play the game is greater. But to love the game is the greatest of all.” This is a refreshing reminder that sports are, after all, just the games we played with joy as kids.
A religious leader once asked Jesus about greatness: “Which is the great commandment?” (Matt. 22:36). Jesus responded by challenging that leader to love—love God and love others. Jesus said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matt. 22:37-39 ).
Whatever else our faith in Christ compels us to do, there is nothing greater we can do than to show our love—for love reveals the heart of our holy heavenly Father. After all, “God is love” (1 John 4:8 ). It’s easy to be sidetracked by lesser things, but our focus must remain on the greatest thing—loving our God. That in turn enables us to love one another. There’s nothing greater.
When amazed by His love for me,
To love Him back became my prayer.
I sought an answer sincerely—
It was: Love the neighbor who’s there. —Verway
The proof of our love for God is our obedience to the commands of God.
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:23 am
Celebrate The Fruit
March 13, 2012 — by Marvin Williams
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Colossians 1:3-14
We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you. —Colossians 1:3
Bible in a Year:
Ruth 1-4
It’s easy to develop a critical spirit toward people who are not growing spiritually according to our expectations. We can easily spot areas of concern that need correction, but we also need to take note of what’s right. In his letters, Paul often needed to correct churches, but he also celebrated what was good.
In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, for example, he mentioned that the gospel had taken root and was producing fruit in the lives of the believers there (1:6). He celebrated them by directing his thanksgiving toward God for their spiritual growth. They had come to know Jesus and now were struggling against the false teachers (2:6-8 ). He thanked the Lord for their deep and abiding love for all the saints and for expressing tangible and sacrificial concern for them (1:4). Paul also thanked God because the Colossians’ faith and love grew out of their hope—the reality and assurance that this world is not the end (1:5).
Today may present us with opportunities to observe fellow believers. We can be critical or celebrate their spiritual progress. Let’s take the time to thank the Lord for the way the gospel of Jesus Christ has taken root and is producing fruit in their lives.
Help me, Lord, to reassure and strengthen
Others by the words I speak today;
I would always try to be affirming,
As our pathways cross along life’s way. —Hess
Correction does much, but encouragement does more.
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:24 am
The Catcher
March 14, 2012 — by Joe Stowell
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: John 14:1-6
If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. —John 14:3
Bible in a Year:
1 Samuel 1-3
Life is a risky enterprise. Sometimes we fly high, enjoying great success. But then suddenly we fall into deep disappointments and the haunting reality of failure, leaving our hearts wondering if there is anything worth looking forward to.
At a funeral recently, the pastor told the story about a trapeze artist. The performer admitted that although he is seen as the star of the show, the real star is the catcher—the teammate who hangs from another trapeze bar to grab him and guarantee a safe landing. The key, he explained, is trust. With outstretched arms, the flyer must trust that the catcher is ready and able to grab him. Dying is like trusting in God as the catcher. After we have flown through life, we can look forward to God reaching out to catch His followers and to pull us safely to Himself forever. I like that thought.
This reminds me of Jesus’ comforting words to His disciples: “Let not your heart be troubled . . . . I go to prepare a place for you. And . . . I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3).
Life is indeed a risky business, but be encouraged! If you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, the Catcher is waiting at the end to take you safely home.
Home from the earthly journey,
Safe for eternity;
All that the Savior promised—
That is what heaven will be. —Anon.
Our heavenly Father’s arms will one day catch His children.
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