Daily Bread

thanks for the support fellas! hope to see yall at the next event.

Read: James 4:1-10
The world is Mine, and all its fullness. —Psalm 50:12
Bible in a year:
1 Chronicles 16-18; John 7:28-53Before they were a week old, the eaglets were fighting over food. Neither was strong enough to hold up his head for more than a few seconds, so the pair looked like fuzzballs with bobble-heads attached. But whenever the parents brought food to the nest, the bigger eaglet was quick to peck down his brother to keep him from getting a single bite. His aggression would have been understandable if food was scarce, or if the parents couldn’t be trusted to supply what he needed. But nothing could be further from the truth. The eaglets were being fed fish many times their size; there was more than enough for both of them.

The greedy eaglet reminds me of our own foolishness when we try to get for ourselves something that belongs to someone else (James 4:1-5). Conflicts erupt because we want something that God has given to a friend, colleague, relative, or neighbor. Instead of asking God for what we need, we try to get what He’s given to someone else (v.2). But God has something good for each of us. We don’t need what belongs to anyone else. And we certainly never need to harm anyone to get what we need.

Our loving heavenly Father has more than enough for everyone.



The secret of contentment is
To let the Lord supply;
Just do your part and put God first
And on His Word rely. —D. De Haan

Our needs will never exhaust God’s supply.

Read: Luke 18:15-17
Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. —Mark 10:14
Bible in a year:
1 Chronicles 22-24; John 8:28-59The Scripture reading from Luke 18 about children seemed unusual at the memorial service for David Holquist. After all, he was 77 when he died.

Yet the pastor said the verses fit David, a long-time college professor, perfectly. Part of his legacy was that he took time for children—his own and others’. He made balloon animals and puppets, and helped in a puppet ministry at church. When planning worship services with others, he frequently asked, “What about the children?” He was concerned about what would help the children—not just the adults—to worship God.

Luke 18 shows us the concern Jesus had for children. When people brought little ones to Him, the disciples wanted to protect Jesus, a busy man, from the bothersome children. But it seems that Jesus was not at all bothered by them. Just the opposite. The Bible says that Jesus was “greatly displeased” at the disciples, and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them” (v.16). Mark adds that Jesus took them in His arms and blessed them (10:14-16).

Let’s examine our own attitude about children and then follow the example of David Holquist. Find some ways to help them come to Jesus.



To those who are teaching the gospel,
With love in their hearts for its truth,
Comes the gentle reminder from heaven,
“Forget not the children and youth.” —Anon.

God has great concern for little children.

Read: John 5:1-9
Do you want to be made well? —John 5:6
Bible in a year:
1 Chronicles 25-27; John 9:1-23John Steinbeck’s Pulitzer prizewinning novel The Grapes of Wrath begins with a scene in drought-ravaged Oklahoma during the Great Depression. With the crops dying and the land choked by dust, the women watched the men to see if they would break under the strain. When they saw the men’s will to carry on, they took heart. Steinbeck writes, “Women and children knew deep in themselves that no misfortune was too great to bear if their men were whole.” The issue was not happiness, prosperity, or satisfaction, but wholeness. This is the great need of us all.

In the King James Version of the Bible, the word whole is often used to describe Jesus’ work of physical healing. When the Lord encountered a man who had been an invalid for 38 years, He asked, “Wilt thou be made whole?” (John 5:5-6 kjv). After Jesus healed the man, He challenged him to also embrace spiritual wholeness: “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you” (v.14).

If we only want something Jesus can do for us, our relationship with Him will be limited. When we want Jesus Himself, He brings completeness to our lives. Christ wants, first and foremost, to make us whole.



I thank Thee for Thy precious Word
Where Thou didst make me see
My sinful self, my helpless soul,
Made whole by trusting Thee. —Anon.

Only Jesus can give wholeness to a broken life.

Read: 2 Kings 7:3-11
We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent. —2 Kings 7:9
Bible in a year:
1 Chronicles 28-29; John 9:24-41My Australian friend Graham wasn’t born blind. He was blinded by a freak accident at age 9. Yet he never felt sorry for himself. Wherever he went, he shared what Jesus Christ meant to him. His last trip was to Thailand as a practicing physiotherapist. Besides using his professional skills there, he wanted to share the gospel of Christ.

The four lepers in 2 Kings 7 had some good news to share as well. They had stumbled into the Syrian camp and found it deserted. After helping themselves to the food and loot, they remembered the starving people of Samaria, shut in as a result of a Syrian siege. Their response was: “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent” (v.9). So they went and told their fellow Israelites about the provisions.

Despite their physical and social disadvantages, both Graham and the lepers thought about others. They were thankful for what they had found and considered it too good to keep to themselves.

Do you know someone who needs to know what Jesus has done? Don’t make excuses for what you lack in abilities. Instead, share the good news of what the Lord has done for you, and your life will take on new purpose.



Help us, Lord, to be a lifeline
To a dying world today,
Bringing hope to hopeless people,
Telling them that Christ’s the way. —Sper

When we are thankful for what we have, we want to share it with others.

Read: James 2:1-9
If you show partiality, you commit sin. —James 2:9
Bible in a year:
2 Chronicles 1-3; John 10:1-23In her fascinating book Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise, Ruth Reichl reflects on her 6 years as a New York Times restaurant critic. Because she was the most influential critic in the country, top restaurants posted her photograph so their employees could recognize her. Hoping to earn a high rating in the New York Times, the staff intended to provide her with their top service and best cuisine.

In response, Reichl developed a clever strategy. Hoping to be treated as a regular patron, she disguised herself. On one occasion, she dressed up as an old woman. The restaurant made her wait a long time to be seated and then was unresponsive to her requests.

In the early church, James spoke out against favoritism: “[If] you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ and say to the poor man, ‘You stand there,’ or, ‘Sit here at my footstool,’ have you not shown partiality among yourselves?” (2:3-4).

When people attend our churches, are they treated impartially? Or do we show favoritism to the wealthy or elite? God calls us to show concern for and interest in all people, regardless of their social status. Let’s welcome all to join us in worshiping the King!



Dear Lord, You welcomed us into Your kingdom, not because of who we are but because of who You are— our loving and merciful God. Help us to open our arms of fellowship to all who enter in. Amen.

God lets us into His fellowship. Who are we to keep others out?

Read: Psalm 31:1-16
“You are my God.” My times are in Your hand. —Psalm 31:14-15
Bible in a year:
2 Chronicles 4-6; John 10:24-42In a message to the 2002 graduates of Cedarville University, Dr. Paul Dixon encouraged them with these words: “Your times are in God’s hands.” Our family listened and thought it was appropriate for the graduates, which included our daughter Julie.

We had no idea that in 5 days our 17-year-old Melissa would graduate to heaven through a car accident—and we would be left to recall with new meaning that thought from Psalm 31:15.

Over the years, we have become painfully aware that in God’s mysterious ways, He has planned for some Christians a life that is short. I think of one young Christian girl, the kind with a smile for everyone, who had a sore finger—and a week later was dead from a raging infection. Or the young believer who was killed while playing softball when a ball hit her in the neck. Or the teen boy who loved Jesus and fishing—and died when a car hit him as he rode his bike home from the fishing hole. Melissa, Heather, Maggie, and Thomas. In their short lives, they created a legacy of faith in Jesus and love for others. They were ready when His time for them had come.

“I trust in You,” the psalmist said, recognizing that his life was in God’s hands alone (vv.14-15). Are you trusting God for whatever comes next on your calendar?



Sovereign Ruler of the skies,
Ever gracious, ever wise,
All my times are in Your hand,
All events at Your command. —Ryland

Our times are in God’s hands; our souls are in His keeping.

Read: Acts 9:1-22
Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. —Acts 9:20
Bible in a year:
2 Chronicles 7-9; John 11:1-29While a friend and I walked along the path of the former Berlin Wall, he told me, “This is one of those ‘never say never’ places in my life.” He explained that during the years when the Wall divided the city, he had made a dozen trips through Checkpoint Charlie to encourage members of the church living under continuing surveillance and opposition in East Germany. More than once, he had been detained, questioned, and harassed by the border guards.

In 1988, he took his teenage children to West Berlin and told them, “Take a good look at this wall, because someday when you bring your children here, this wall will still be standing.” A year later it was gone.

When Saul of Tarsus began to attack the followers of Jesus, no one could have imagined that he would ever become a disciple of Christ. “Never. Not a chance.” Yet Acts 9:1-9 records the story of Saul’s blinding encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. Within a few days of that life-changing event, Saul was preaching in the synagogues of Damascus that Jesus was the Son of God, to the astonishment of all who heard him (vv.20-21).

When it comes to God’s work in the most difficult people we know, we should never say “never.”



God’s power cannot be confined
To what you think is possible;
So when it comes to changing lives—
Imagine the impossible. —Sper

Never say never when it comes to what God can do.

Read: Psalm 8
What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? —Psalm 8:4
Bible in a year:
2 Chronicles 15-16; John 12:27-50An African proverb states, “The one who asks questions doesn’t lose his way.” That concept can be helpful as we consider David’s questions in the Psalms. He was clearly seeking God’s guidance for the way he should go.

Look, for example, at some of the questions he asked:

“O Lord—how long?” (6:3). A question of eagerness to see God’s plan accomplished.

“What is man that You are mindful of him?” (8:4). A question of awe that God even cares about sinful man.

“Why do You hide in times of trouble?” (10:1). A question that reveals a longing for God’s presence.

“Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?” (15:1). The ultimate question of who may live with God.

David had some tough questions for God. He had discovered what it was like to lose his way when he excluded God and followed his own sinful path. But as he penned the Psalms, he was a man in search of godliness, which meant he probed God’s mind about difficult subjects.

Questions. Like David, you have them. Keep asking. Then, through faith in God’s Word and the work of the Holy Spirit, listen as He leads you in His way.



My mind cries its questions,
My longing heart, joining:
O Father, please hear me!
O Spirit, keep teaching! —Verway

It’s good to have questions, but it’s even better to search for God’s answers.

Read: 2 Kings 19:9-19
O Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone. —2 Kings 19:19
Bible in a year:
2 Chronicles 17-18; John 13:1-20For most English-speaking people, the acronym ASAP means “As Soon As Possible” or immediately. But for the Christian it can also mean, “Always Say A Prayer.”

King Hezekiah was one of Judah’s best kings. He restored the worship of God to his nation after his father Ahaz’s evil reign (2 Kings 18:3-4). Yet when the Assyrian king attacked Judah, Hezekiah capitulated to the king and stripped off the gold from the temple in Jerusalem to placate him (vv.13-16).

That did not satisfy the Assyrian king, however, who returned to issue another threat. It was then that Hezekiah turned to the Lord. He prayed, “You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. . . . Save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone” (19:15-19). When Hezekiah prayed, God answered him in a remarkable way and delivered him from his enemies (vv.35-37).

You may be facing a problem that leaves you feeling helpless. It may be the loss of a job, a difficult family or work situation, or health struggles. We have a powerful God to whom we can bring our concerns. So before you do anything else, remember to ASAP—Always Say A Prayer.



Something happens when we pray:
Powers of evil lose their sway,
We gain strength, and fear gives way—
Therefore, let us pray. —Anon.

Prayer should be our first response rather than our last resort.

GOLDDUSTERS5703 said:

i receive these from my uncle most days and i would like to share these w/ u guys. i will just copy and paste if yall are interested. here goes...

Ongoing Encouragement



ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Colossians 3:14-25



Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. —Colossians 3:21


Father’s Day is celebrated in many countries worldwide. Although the origins, activities, and actual day of observance differ widely, they all share the common thread of honoring fathers for their role as parents.

This year for Father’s Day, I’ve decided to do something different. Instead of waiting to receive a card or phone call from my children, I’m sending words of appreciation to them and to my wife. After all, without them, I wouldn’t be a dad.

Paul instructed fathers to be a positive part of their children’s development rather than a source of anger and discouragement. He wrote, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged” (Col. 3:21). Both of these verses are embedded in passages about loving and honoring each other in family relationships.

The role of a father changes as children grow, but it doesn’t end. Praise and encouragement are welcomed whether a child is 4 or 40. Prayer is always powerful. And it’s never too soon to mend a broken relationship with a son or daughter.

Fathers, now is a good time to tell your children how much you love and appreciate them. — David C. McCasland

Our children need encouragement,
Expressions of our love and care;
Appreciation, when expressed,
Accentuates the bond we share. —Sper

The greatest gift a father can give to his children is himself.

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That is Big Medicine, i cut and pasted that to my daughter who i had a falling out with recently. i will continue to read, but the first thing i hit was that and it was powerful and true

that one hold a place for me as well, deffinately remember the enlighted feeling i had after i first read it. todays hit me like a ton of bricks deffinately a my biggest daily struggle... today's also sounds helpful for you and your daughter... anybody for that matter.

Read: Philippians 3:7-14
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. —Philippians 3:14
Bible in a year:
2 Chronicles 19-20; John 13:21-38Matt Emmons, Olympic gold medalist in rifle shooting in 2004, was set to win another event at Athens. He had a commanding lead and hoped to make a direct bull’s-eye on his last shot. But something went wrong—he hit the target, but he was aiming at the wrong one! That wrong focus dropped him to eighth place and cost him a medal.

In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he expressed the importance of focusing on the right target in our Christian life. “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus,” he said (3:14).

Paul used the term “goal” in an illustration of an athlete running a race. Interestingly, the same word was also used of a target for shooting arrows. In both cases, the prospect of winning depends on being focused. For the believer that focus should be a lifetime pursuit of becoming more like our Savior Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:28-29; Gal. 5:22-23).

What is your focus today? Are you preoccupied with getting ahead and making life more comfortable? If you’re a believer, the right target to shoot for is to become more like the Son of God (2 Cor. 3:18). Today make sure you are aiming at the right target!



I have one deep supreme desire,
That I may be like Jesus.
To this I fervently aspire,
That I may be like Jesus. —Chisholm

To make the most of your life, make God’s goals your goals.

yeah man, me and my daughter locked up the other day and i just ripped her to shreds. then i hit her in emails and just knocked her flat you know. My son told me dad, That email was harsh I said yeah son, but she hit me in the house I gave you and All I could see was me in the corner of the dining room, as a young child and my Alcoholic mother circling me like a Vampire hollering YOU ARE STUPID, YOU ARE UGLY, YOU WILL NEVER BE ANYTHING.

It was like a knife fight to me, like I did so well with my Mom. Anyway we are cool now and it was Big Medicine for me. She got it and we are okay now. She never broke down though, my sone told me dad she was crying, i said i never saw that Son she came at me like a Banny rooster and tore me to Shreds. i never saw any weakness in her. She apologized today and told me she was sorry for what she said.

I told her i didnt read it, when i saw it turn bad i ripped my Clothes off and ran into the woods, i embellish some stories, i didnt actually take my clothes off and i didnt run i just walked into the woods and sat down and thought about it. She ripped me to peices, i guess i should be proud to have a daughter with so much fire in her heart. I am way more scared of her than she is of me.

She doesnt believe in God either- although i am getting real close and it scares me- I found that out when i sent her the link on the question thread here. i am getting real close Man, I need to call Dually speed again to get me some wisdom

One cool thing about all of this is that God knows you are not perfect and knows you will never be. He does call on you to believe in him and put on the things of Christ. I think it comes down to heart condition. God knows your heart. If you mess up make it right. Actions speak so much louder than words.

I was in a small group in Carlock IL. a few months back. The group leader was relaying a story about a 90 year old man that was asking for prayer because he was looking at some women with lust. This amazed me in a few ways. He has been a christian and married for well over 50 years you think he would have that one whipped. The fact that he still has struggles with that at 90 is amazing but shows that we are not perfect, but he was still aspiring to be more like Christ. It is also scary in that I guess you will have struggles your whole life, from the cradle to the grave. I don't know what I would do without Christ in my life.

Thanks Goldduster

Hamilton Cams said:

One cool thing about all of this is that God knows you are not perfect and knows you will never be. He does call on you to believe in him and put on the things of Christ. I think it comes down to heart condition. God knows your heart. If you mess up make it right. Actions speak so much louder than words.

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Well said! Most people think God keeps track of the bad things we do in life. They seem to think I've done this and that and won’t ever be forgiven or go to heaven. But in fact he does not care about the bad things. He is only looking at the good things. When one feels like this they hold unforgiveness against themselves and others. Can even be against people they have long forgotten. The penalty is torment and torture. What does torment and torture look like in your life? Well you have loss of relationship with God, family and friends; sleeplessness; loss of peace and contentment; illness; anger; lack of vitality. Now what we have to remember is that Jesus arose so that all men might been forgiven. Matthew 18:15-35 (I recommend reading whole chapter or book even) shows us when we think or say that our life is beyond the reach of God's forgiveness we have sinned in a way the Lord responds to harshly. The penalty He has announced is imprisonment and torment. Sounds like He is being tough on us, but in fact He IS being tough on us. Mark 6:14 "If you forgive men of their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." If God says to forgive and we hold unforgiveness, we're disobedient, therefore we sin. God has given us His word for the consequences of our sin is confession. This is why forgiveness is so important in our lives. God not going to doc you points for every time you've done something wrong. Confess your sin to Him! Forgive those who have done you wrong and work towards walking in the light with Him. My executive pastor shared this info with me and now I have reestablished a strong connection with my mother again. I had not spoken to her in almost 8 years. Now we talk almost every day. Just amazing when you ask the Holy Spirit to come into our soul and take over.

Our Pastor said something the other day that really hit home. Was talking about your soul is just a soul. But if you invite the Holy Spirit into your soul and guide you things happen and you begin to change. The quote he said was “The soul has knowledge but the Spirit has Wisdom!"

Sorry guys I get a little carried away. I lost track of the Lord awhile back and now I'm back on the right path again. I took me a long time to understand things and the bible but now I get it! Really do and it is just super amazing what He has for us. The Spirit is there; all we have to do is ask for it!

We had a lesson about prayer on Wednesday night. 1 Thes. 5:17 (I think that is it) says, "pray without ceasing". So, yesterday I prayed throught the day when I thought about it. It worked out well. My tractor actually started without jumper cables, I worked some ground without breaking anything, and I found the short in the brake wire on my trailer and fixed that. The night went pretty well so it appears that he blessed me for thinking of him more.

If I am not praying or thinking on positive things I can be tweaked by 10:00a.m. but If am thinking on the things of Christ and praying, all the things that typically get me angry kind of just roll off of by back. Prayer without ceasing is very important. Why do we tend to forget about this and do it on our own? We forget so easily.

Zach

I just brought fourth a message at our annual mens breakfast last saturday. It was entitled "jofully spirited"...Its not exactly what were discussing but here's one part of the scripture that I taught on that might help.
Galatians 5:22-26
But the fruit of the spirit is love,joy,peace,longsuffering,gentleness,goodness,faith,meekness,temperance: against there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucufied the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, Provoking one another, envying one another.

I have started at Genesis 1:11 "And God said, let the earth bring forth Grass, and herb yielding seed,and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so."

Look while that crushes the idea that god made a full grown tree it dont say he couldnt have made levels of strata in the earth that contained fossils of creatures that never were.

Genesis 1:13 " And the evening and the morning were the third day" How do we Know how long a day was to God? A day could have been a billion years.

Genesis 1:3 "God said let there be light: and there was light" We dont even know if the earth was spinning then. i might have started spinning later. God didnt have to make the earth spin, it certainly would have been bad for the other side of the earth but it could have started to spin later, or god could spun it and it isnt in the book ya know.

My point is, i am reading it and i dont see anything yet that violates the second law of thermodynamics which maybe should be called Gods second law. We dont know how long a day was to god, maybe evolution which is TRUE might have been gods plan ya know. he let the lightning hit the water and an angry young planet went through the processes that formed Life and God just watched for a billion years. how do we know how long a day was to god, that is something created by man not god.

I got more reading to do check in with yall later

I think(diddnt check) Job:38 thats when God lets Job have it.God said something like "where were you" a bunch of times.It has to do with some of the things you are thinking of Jponder.Unless i am reading it wrong.In any case Job speaks to me.

duallyspeed said:

I think(diddnt check) Job:38 thats when God lets Job have it.God said something like "where were you" a bunch of times.It has to do with some of the things you are thinking of Jponder.Unless i am reading it wrong.In any case Job speaks to me.

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Yes, i mentioned Job to my father the other day. job was a rich man. Job 1:3 Job had 7K sheep, 3K Camels, 500 oxen and 500 she Asses. I dont know what a she Ass is I figure it is a donkey. Job had seven sons and three daughters. I still think that is alot of animals for 11 people to manage. i aint saying it is wrong mind you.

My question boils down to this. is the Bible the word of god or is it instead mans attempt to interpret God talking to him? Because if the Bible is written by man doesnt it have to be flawed by us in our own interpretation of God?

Doesnt mean god is not real, it just means man has messed up and is imperfect. where should i satrt reading? i mean i am reading genesis but i have read that before, In college English classes they say it is part of the western cannon. Should i start with matthew or some other book?