THE FRUIT OF KINDNESS

Today's promise: God is always ready to help us and expects us to help others

The fruit of kindness

"When the Holy Spirit controls your life, he will produce this kind of fruit in us:…kindness, goodness."

Galatians 5:22 NLT

In spite of it all

On that ghastly Friday morning, which ironically has become known as "Good Friday," Jesus was a swollen, bloody mess. Most of his friends had hightailed it hours before, leaving him alone to face the physical agony of crucifixion, the emotional anguish of a jeering crowd, and the spiritual horror of separation from God the Father.

Yet during this entire nightmare, Christ responded, well, strangely. On the way to his execution, he paused to console a group of grief-stricken women. He used what little breath he was able to catch to pray for those who were so merciless to him. He demonstrated compassion and forgiveness to a criminal dying at his side. And he took pains, literally, to see that his grief-stricken mother below him would be cared for by a friend.

In the ultimate "tough time," Christ oozed kindness and goodness. And because his Spirit lives in us, we also have the capacity to use personal tragedy as an opportunity to care for others.

Praying God's Promise:
Cause your kindness and goodness to flow through me, Lord. It is not natural for me to think of others or to think of glorifying you, especially when my own life is filled with pain. Teach me to live supernaturally. I want to be selfless like you, Jesus, always looking for opportunities to bless others.

From Praying God's Promises in Tough Times by Len Wood (Tyndale) pp 154-55

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

THE LOW POINT

THE LOW POINT

READ:  Psalm 40

You are my help and my

deliverer. Psalm 40:17

C.S. Lewis and his older brother, Warren (Warnie), endured several terms at Wynyard, an English boarding school for boys.  The headmaster was a cruel man who made life unbearable for everyone there.  Decades later, Warnie wrote in his understated dry wit, “I am now sixty-four and a bit, and have never yet been in a situation in which I have not had the consolation of reflecting that at any rate I was better off than I was at Wynyard”  Most of us can recall a similar dark and difficult time in our lives and be grateful that we’re better off now than we were then.

Psalm 40:1-5 records a low point of David’s life when he cried out to the Lord who rescued him.  God brought him up from “the slimy pit” and “the mud and mire” and set his feet on a rock (v.2).  “He put a new song in my mouth,” David says, “a hymn of praise to our God” (v.3).

But deliverance from depression and despair are seldom one-time events.  Psalm 40 continues with David’s renewed plea for God’s mercy, lovingkindness, and truth to deliver him from his own sin and the threats of his enemies (vv.11-14).

Along with David, we can say at every low point, “I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me.  You are my help and my deliverer: (v.17).                                          DAVID MCCASLAND

How does recalling a low point in your life encourage you to trust God for His help today?

Share you answer with us at

facebook.com/ourdailybread or odb.org

The One who holds the universe will never let you down.

Have a blessed night.

God Our Creator’s Love Always.

Unity & Peace

THE HEAVENLY MANIFEST

THE HEAVENLY MANIFEST

READ:  Luke 10:17-24

Rejoice that your names are 

written in heaven. -Luke 10:20

At the Kenya Airways check-in counter, I presented my passport for verification.  When the agents searched for my name on their manifest-the document that lists names of passengers -my name was missing  The problem”  Overbooking and lack of confirmation.  My hope of reaching home that day was shattered.

The episode reminded me of another kind of manifest - the Book of Life.  In Luke 10, Jesus sent His disciples on an evangelistic mission.  On their return, they happily reported their success.  But Jesus told them:  “Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (v.20).  The focus of our joy is not merely that we are successful but that our names are inscribed in God’s book.

But how can we be sure of that?  God’s Word tells us, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him form the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

In Revelation 21, John makes a breathtaking description of the Holy City that awaits those who trust Christ.  Then he writes, “Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (v.27).

The Book of Life is God’s heavenly manifest.  Is your name written in it?                                              LAWRENCE DARMANI

Father in heaven, thank You for the gift of Your Son, who promised to prepare a place for us.  Thank You too, that You are preparing us for that place.

God opens the gates of heaven to those who open their hearts to Him.

INSIGHT

Two important concepts appear in today’s passage:  Jesus is the one who gives us the authority to carry on His work on earth, and God is the one who writes our names “in heaven” (v.20).  Notice that in both cases it is not our doing but God’s.  Salvation is a gift of God’s grace; our part is to accept this gift.                                                     J.R. HUDBERG

Have a blessed night.

God Our Creator’s Love Always.

Unity & Peace

SEEING OURSELVES

SEEING OURSELVES

READ:  1 Corinthians 11:23-34

Everyone ought to examine
themselves.  1 Corinthians 11:28

Long ago, before the invention of mirrors or polished surfaces, people rarely saw themselves.  Puddles of water, streams, and rivers were one of the few ways they could see their own reflection.  But mirrors changed that.  And the invention of cameras took fascination with our looks to a whole new level.  We now have lasting images of ourselves from any given time throughout our entire life.  This is good for making scrapbooks and keeping family histories, but it can be detrimental to our spiritual well-being.  The fun of seeing ourselves on camera can keep us focused on outward appearance and leave us with little interest in examining our inner selves.

Self-examination is crucial for a healthy spiritual life.  God wants us to see ourselves so that we can be spared the consequences of sinful choices.  This is so important that Scripture says we are not to participate in the Lord’s Supper without first examining ourselves (1 Corinthians 11:28).  The point of this self-examination is not only to make things right with God but also to make sure we are right with one another.  The Lord’s Supper is a remembrance of Christ’s body, and we can’t celebrate it properly if we’re not living in harmony with other believers.

Seeing and confessing our sin promotes unity with others and a healthy relationship with God.                                JULIE ACKERMAN LINK

Dear Lord, help me to be more concerned with the reflection of my heart than with my physical reflection.  Change me through the power of Your Spirit.

When we look into the mirror of God’s Word, we see ourselves more clearly.

INSIGHT
Jesus at the Jewish Passover meal-a celebration to remember God’s rescue of His people from slavery in Egypt-with His disciples the night before He went to the cross.  Christ used the elements of this meal to institute the memorial celebration of the Lord’s Supper, or Communion (1 Corinthians 11:20), to help us remember how He has rescued us from our sins.  BILL CROWDER

Have a blessed day and week ahead.
God Our Creator’s Love Always.

Unity & Peace

THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS AND THE REFUGEES

THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS AND THE REFUGEES

For more great blogs as this one go to Daniel’s blog site at:  www.Mannsword.blogspot.com

According to Jesus’ teachings, it might appear that we should receive all of the Syrian refugees:

∑       Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:44-48)

According to Jesus, it would seem that, even if a large percentage of refugees might radicalize, we are to love our enemies. How then can we Christians justify keeping them out of their nations?

Perhaps a distinction is necessary. There are different spheres of responsibility, which Jesus hinted at when He distinguished rendering to God what is God’s and to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. Consequently, it is possible to fulfill our obligation to God even as we rendered unto Caesar what is due to Caesar and uphold their responsibility to maintain safety and justice.

But how does this distinction pertain to the refugee question? Paul’s teachings reflected those of Jesus:

∑       Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:14-21)

Clearly, there is a sharp distinction between what we should be doing and what God does. While we are to love our enemies and not seek revenge, God will do the avenging. He will repay evil with what it deserves. What a blessing this is! We can love others and leave questions of justice and punishment to God and His righteous wrath.

However, this wrath is not merely reserved for the final judgment. Instead, God has ordained government – the civil authorities – to execute His wrath, as Paul explains in the next verses:

∑       Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves… For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. (Romans 13:1-5)

The courts and penal system are not supposed to exercise love and forgiveness. This would undermine the entire justice system, the welfare of society, and even God’s just intentions to bring His wrath on evildoers. Instead, it is the justice system that allows us to live lives of love and forgiveness. It bears the sword so that we are freed from this responsibility.

In light of this necessary distinction, how then do we understand Jesus’ love teachings? His teachings were not intended to correct the Mosaic justice system. In fact, He never even spoke against the oppressive Roman rule. He never suggested that the Romans should give to whomever asks or that they should turn the other cheek. He understood that this wasn’t the role of government.

When Jesus did teach about the responsibility of government, it was church government, and it too wasn’t always indulgent:

∑       “If he [the unrepentant] refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 18:17-18)

While, on a personal level, we are to love even our enemies, church government was entrusted with a slightly different calling. The Church could punish by excommunication, even when the church consisted with only two others. However, this too was an expression of love – tough love! (This is a truth echoed in the Epistles, 1 Cor. 5; 1 Tim.1:20.) Yes, we are to give, but to give with discernment!

Although we personally might decide to endure some abuse for the sake of the Gospel, Jesus’ teachings suggest that we need not. We are free to bring our grievances to the Church or to the justice system, especially when the abuse might be expressed towards others, even our families.

Jesus never suggested that we should subject others to abuse. Instead, His teachings implied the legitimacy of protecting our household and community (Matthew 24:42-44).

Being as “wise as serpents but as gentle as doves,” we should extend ourselves to those in need. However, we should expect our government to fulfill their mandated task of protecting and providing peace and justice, as theologian Michael Brown has written:

http://townhall.com/columnists/michaelbrown/2015/11/23/four-reflections-on-the-syrian-refugee-crisis-n2084415?utm_source=thdaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nl&newsletterad=

∑       The government should major on security; the Church should major on compassion. I don’t mean that the government should be harsh or that the Church should be foolish, but it is not the primary job of the government to care for the needs of refugees and it is not the primary job of the Church to provide national security. The government should do its very best to shut the doors on any potential terrorists, even if that means slowing down the process of absorbing refugees.

∑       [Government] must assiduously work against the plague of radical Islam, even if the vast majority of Muslim refugees are not radicals.

Brown might be minimizing the problem of the refugees. It appears that the Islamic communities of Western Europe have become so radicalized that they have appropriated for themselves 100s or maybe 1000s of “no-go-zones,” mini-Caliphates, even transforming their host nations into rape capitals, despite the alleged majority of moderate Muslims.

Nevertheless, we must treat with courage and love those Muslims who are already residing in our nations, demonstrating to them the mercy of Jesus.

But we also have to be knowledgeable about the dangers. We are to be children of the light, exemplars of a wisdom that should nourish our neighbors and not subject them to rape and beheadings:

∑       The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death. (Proverbs 13:14)

∑       The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction. Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools. A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction. (Proverbs 16:21-23)

With wisdom, we can be a blessing to our community and glorify the Lord. Instead, by placing our community in jeopardy by insisting on the re-settlement of dangerous refugees in our community, we potentially bring disrepute upon our faith.

BLOG - http://www.mannsword.blogspot.com

New York School of the Bible: http://www.nysb.nyc/

THE ABSENCE OF TRANSITIONAL FOSSILS

THE ABSENCE OF TRANSITIONAL FOSSILS

For more great blogs as this one go to Daniel’s blog site at:  www.Mannsword.blogspot.com

Transitional fossils, often called missing links, should be found in the fossil record. These forms or fossils should document the gradual evolution between the various species and phyla (reptiles, amphibians, fish, mammals). However, many claim that they are non-existent. For example, David B. Kitts of the School of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Oklahoma wrote:

∑       Evolution requires intermediate forms between species and paleontology does not provide them…" (Thompson B and Harrub B, eds. Apologetics Press, n.d. Accessed October 21, 2008)

Many evolutionists have gone on record to agree with this assessment.

∑       David Raup, who was the curator of geology at the museum holding the world's largest fossil collection (the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago), observed: "[Darwin] was embarrassed by the fossil record because it didn't look the way he predicted it would.... Well, we are now about 120 years after Darwin, and knowledge of the fossil record has been greatly expanded. We now have a quarter of a million fossil species but the situation hasn't changed much.... [W]e have even fewer examples of evolutionary transition than we had in Darwin's time." (David M. Raup, "Conflicts Between Darwin and Paleontology," Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin 50 (January 1979): 22-23, 24-25)

∑       One of the most famous proponents of evolution was the late Harvard paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould. But Gould admitted, "The extreme rarity of transitional forms in the fossil record persists as the trade secret of paleontology. We fancy ourselves as the only true students of life’s history, yet to preserve our favored account of evolution by natural selection, we view our data as so bad that we never see the very process we profess to study. In a 1977 paper titled "The Return of Hopeful Monsters", Gould wrote: "All paleontologists know that the fossil record contains precious little in the way of intermediate forms; transitions between major groups are characteristically abrupt."

∑       The senior paleontologist at the British Museum of Natural History, Dr. Colin Patterson, put it this way: "Gould and the American Museum people are hard to contradict when they say there are no transitional fossils." (CreationWiki)

Anthropologist Edmund Ronald Leach claimed that:

∑       Missing links in the sequence of fossil evidence were a worry to Darwin. He felt sure they would eventually turn up, but they are still missing and seem likely to remain so. ("Still Missing After All These Years." Evolution is Dead!, 2008 Accessed October 21, 2008.)

If one species descended from a parent species, a necessarily gradual process, we should be able to observe among the living species a gradual evolutionary continuum, and an entire array of transitional forms between cats, dogs, and cows. However, we do not! Even in the fossil record, we find no evidence of this. Evolutionist Michael Denton stated:

∑       It is still, as it was in Darwin's day, overwhelmingly true that the first representatives of all the major classes of organisms known to biology are already highly characteristic of their class when they make their initial appearance in the fossil record. This phenomenon is particularly obvious in the case of the invertebrate fossil record. At its first appearance in the ancient paleozoic seas, invertebrate life was already divided into practically all the major groups with which we are familiar today. (Evolution: A Theory in Crisis, 3rd rev. ed. Adler & Adler. 1986, p. 162)

The absence of transitional forms is a very contentious issue. Understandably, evolutionists claim that there are transitional fossils. However, this assessment is based on their presuppositions and willingness to identify transitional forms where these forms might simply represent entirely different and unrelated species:

∑       They are based on a comparison of selected parts, while often ignoring bigger differences. Sometimes the various types are represented only by fragmented fossil evidence. Often they will use what are called cousins when they can not find a fossil in the right place to be able to call it an ancestor. The gaps recognized by evolutionists are often at critical parts in the fossil record. (CreationWiki)

Jonathan Sarfati adds:

∑       "Many of the alleged transitional forms are based on fragmentary remains, which are therefore open to several interpretations, based on one’s axioms. Evolutionary bias means that such remains are often likely to be interpreted as transitional, as with Gingerich, and is also prevalent in ape-man claims. But when more bones are discovered, then the fossils nearly always fit one type or another, and are no longer plausible as transitional. It’s also notable that alleged intermediate forms are often trumpeted in the media, while retractions are usually muted or unpublicized." (Sarfati, Jonathan. Refuting Evolution, Greenforest AR: Master Books, 2002. (p136-137)

As serious evolutions are voicing severe doubts with the theory of evolution, the church is adopting what is still mainstream in a vain attempt to reach their culture. The church has routinely resorted to this self-defeating strategy, having adopted geo-centrism and the “steady state” theory of an eternal universe in accordance with the science of their day. By pandering to our culture, the church has rejected our glorious and prophetic calling to be the light.

TRUTH IS MURDERED AND NO ONE CARES

“Truth” is often no more than a tool to manipulate. In fact, people are no longer outraged by the distortion of the truth for propagandistic purposes. For instance, one church bulletin included “A Message from New York City Muslim Leaders,” reading:

∑       “The Majlis condemns the horrific attacks in Paris over the weekend on Islamic grounds… Like natural disaster, terrorism does NOT DISCRIMINATE based on religion, race, gender or age whether perpetrated by a state, group or individual. The world witnessed this type of INDISCRIMINATE BLOODSHED last week not only in Paris but also in Beirut, Kenya, Iraq and other places around the world.”

On the contrary, the terror was Islamic, it was discriminate against non-Muslims, as even the assailants cried out “Allahu Akbar,” and it does “discriminate based on religion.” The recent examples of this are in the hundreds.

It would have been more reassuring if, instead, these Muslim leaders had said, “We grieve that these assaults have been conducted in the name of Islam,” but they wouldn’t admit even that much. Either way, this is consistent with their doctrine of “Taqiyya,” which authorizes the Muslim to deceive the infidel, even with false shows of friendship.

However, what is doubly troubling is this – that there are churches that show so little regard for the truth, that they are complicit in this very obvious deception.

BLOG - http://www.mannsword.blogspot.com

New York School of the Bible: http://www.nysb.nyc/

HAVE YOU BEEN USED TO COMFORT OTHERS?

Today's promise: God is always ready to help us and expects us to help others

Have you been used to comfort others?

"All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ."

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 NLT

May our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father, who loved us and in his special favor gave us everlasting comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and give you strength in every good thing you do and say.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 NLT

God's comfort

How often have you noticed that soon after you receive comfort for some troubling situation, you encounter someone else facing a similar situation? It is God who leads us to these people, for the comfort we provide for them seems more credible because they know we have "been there." Paul praises the Lord in his letter to the Corinthian church that God "comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others" with "the same comfort God has given us."

In what ways has God comforted you in the trials you have had to go through? Pray that God may use you to comfort others.

A prayer for today…

Dear Lord, thank you for comforting me. Use me to comfort others…

From The One Year® Book of Bible Prayers edited by Bruce Barton (Tyndale) entry for July 10

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House 

REFLECTING CHRIST

Today's promise: God is always ready to help us and expects us to help others

Reflecting Christ

"…you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."

Colossians 3:12 NLT

Clothed in kindness

A doctor once stepped into a taxicab and discovered an unusually friendly driver.…he asked the man why he was so cheerful. "It all started," he said, "when I heard about a taxi driver who was so kind to a passenger that the man remembered him in his will, leaving him $65,000. I thought I would try it, and maybe somebody might leave me something. But after I tried it, I found it was so much fun being good that I decided I would do it for the fun of it, reward or no reward."

The world would certainly be a more cheerful place if we all had such good dispositions. Imagine walking down the street and seeing nothing but smiling faces.…

Life is not a bed of roses, and most people are too happy to let you know that. That's what we tell ourselves when we want to appease our guilt on those dark and dreary days. I'm not the only one who's had a bad day, we think. People are just going to have to understand.

Maybe they do, but how does Jesus feel about it? Kindness should flow out of the life of a Christian. The world has an excuse to be angry, but we don't. Redeemed people should act like they're happy to be redeemed.

This is what separates believers from those who haven't discovered the goodness of Christ. We have a reason to rejoice. We have a standard to uphold. We have a Savior to pattern our life after.

From Embracing Eternity by Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins and Frank M. Martin (Tyndale) p 86

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

SACRIFICIAL LOVE

Today's promise: God is always ready to help us and expects us to help others

Sacrificial Love

"Don't forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to God."

Hebrews 13:16 NLT

In His steps

Have you seen kids wearing bracelets with the initials WWJD — "What Would Jesus Do?" The story behind those bracelets begins a century ago, when a minister named Charles Sheldon wrote a novel titled In His Steps. One Sunday morning at First Church, Pastor Henry Maxwell is preaching a sermon about how to follow Christ's example of sacrificial love.

The service is suddenly interrupted when a tramp stands up. He's been out of work for a year, he says, yet not one person in town has helped him find another job. Twisting his shabby hat in his hands, the tramps says, "I was wondering if what you call following Jesus is the same thing as what he taught.…I get puzzled when I see so many Christians living in luxury and remember how my wife died in a tenement.…what would Jesus do?" At that point, to the congregation's horror, the tramp collapses and dies.

The following Sunday, the minister makes a stunning proposal: He's looking for volunteers willing to pledge themselves for an entire year to do nothing without first asking, "What would Jesus do?" Some fifty people make the pledge, and a remarkable series of events begins.

Some of these people pay a high price for their obedience. But they also learn the joy of following faithfully in his footsteps.

A few years ago, a Holland, Michigan, youth leader was so inspired by this classic story that she had bracelets made bearing the letters WWJD and gave them to the kids in her church. The idea caught fire, and today millions wear them.

Adapted from How Now Shall We Live? Devotional by Charles Colson (Tyndale) pp 585-86

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

JUDGING BY APPEARANCES

Today's promise: God is always ready to help us and expects us to help others

Judging by appearances

"The trouble with you is that you make your decisions on the basis of appearance. You must recognize that we belong to Christ."

Job 14:5 NLT

Little Woman, Long Shadow

Two weeks before Christmas, on December 12, 1840, a baby girl was born into an aristocratic plantation family in Albemarle County, Virginia. Her name was Charlotte Diggs Moon, but everyone called her "Lottie." She grew to just four feet three inches, yet her intellect and force of personality were enormous. Lottie spoke six languages and earned a master's degree in education in 1861.

Lottie came from a family of dedicated Southern Baptists, but she became a staunch skeptic. Yet, it would be her intellect and skepticism that would bring her to faith one sleepless night in December 1858 as she pondered a message by Dr. John Broadus.

At age thirty-three, Lottie heard a call to missions "as clear as a bell." In July 1873 the foreign mission board of the Southern Baptist Convention appointed her its first unmarried missionary to China. She tirelessly advocated for the needs of the people of China. In 1888 she persuaded SBC women to take an annual missions offering on Christmas Eve. By 1912, despite such gifts, thousands of people were dying every day in famine-ravaged Shantung Province.

At seventy-two, Lottie Moon was coming home. But that same night, aboard a ship off Japan, she died — of complications from starvation. A few months before she had written, "If I had a thousand lives, I would give them all for the women of China." The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering continues to this day. The 2010 goal is $175 million.

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Christian History by E. Michael and Sharon Rusten (Tyndale) pp 694-95

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THOSE WHO SEEK TO HURT YOU?

Today's promise: God is always ready to help us and expects us to help others

How do you respond to those who seek to hurt you?

"Love your enemies! Do good to them! Lend to them! And don't be concerned that they might not repay. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to the unthankful and to those who are wicked! You must be compassionate, just as the Father is compassionate."

Luke 6:35-36 NLT

The sign of a loving heart

Our enemies are out to hurt us. They want to steal from us, cheat us, and do evil against us. Yet Jesus says we are to be kind to them. What is his point? We reflect — or should reflect — God to the world, and God is kind — even to the unkind, the ungrateful, and those whom we consider to be "hopeless" cases. Kindness is based on the love we have for others, not the love others deserve.

Kindness is the sign of a loving heart, one of the greatest of all virtues. A kind person is pleasant, good, gracious — always appreciated. There's a lot of talk these days about "random acts of kindness." Maybe this is because we live in a society starved for good deeds. God is our model for kindness. The kindest act ever committed was God's sending his own Son, Jesus, to die for our sins so that we might live forever in heaven. God also showers us with kindness each day, sending sunshine and rain, food and friends, comfort and encouragement, boundless love and wisdom.

From the TouchPoint Bible commentaries by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers (Tyndale) pp 889, 1221-22

For more on this week's topic, check this Tyndale resource:

Holding Out for a Hero by Lisa Harper (Tyndale, 2005)

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

BEYOND DISAPPOINTMENT

BEYOND DISAPPOINTMENT

READ:  Genesis 29:14-30

Hope in the LORD and keep

His way.  Psalm 37:34

Perhaps you’ve seen the video of the little boy who learns he’s getting another sister.  In the middle of his meltdown he laments, “It’s always girls girls girls, girls!”

It is an amusing glimpse into human expectations, but there’s nothing funny about disappointment.  It saturates our world.  One story from the Bible is steeped in disappointment.  Jacob agreed to work 7 years for the right to marry his boss’s daughter Rachel.  But after fulfilling his contract, Jacob got a wedding night surprise.  In the morning he discovered not Rachel but her sister Leah.

We focus on Jacob’s disappointment, but imagine how Leah must have felt!  What hopes and dreams of hers began to die that day as she was forced to marry a man who did not love or want her?

Psalm 37:4 tells us, “Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”  Are we to believe that God-fearing people are never disappointed?  No, the psalm clearly shows that the writer sees injustice all around him.  But he takes the long view:  “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him” (v.7).  His conclusion:  “The meek will inherit the land” (v.11).

In the end, it was Leah whom Jacob honored and buried in the family grave plot with Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 49:31).  And it was through the lineage of Leah-who in life thought she was unloved-that God blessed the world with a Savior.  Jesus brings justice, restores hope, and gives us an inheritance beyond our wildest dreams.          TIM GUSTAFSON

Lord, its, hard to wait patiently for good things.  Forgive us for comparing ourselves to others and complaining about what we don’t have.  Help us to meet you in a new way.

Jesus is the only friend who never disappoints.

Have a blessed night.

God Our Creator’s Love Always.

Unity & Peace

HOPE IN YOUR ETERNAL INHERITANCE

Today's promise: God has great rewards for those who remain faithful

Hope In Your Eternal Inheritance

"I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people.

I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him."

Ephesians 1:18-19 NLT

Paul's prayer for the Ephesians

While the believers in Ephesus enjoyed the luxuries and wealth of a cosmopolitan city located on major trade routes, Paul was confined to a small room in Rome, under the constant watch of a Roman guard. But who would ever guess from Paul's prayer that he was deprived of anything?

Paul's confident description of God's power does not betray a hint of hopelessness. Instead, Paul speaks of the rich inheritance and wonderful future he would have in heaven. Paul's future on earth was in the hands of Caesar. Yet Paul's ultimate hopes weren't set on this world; his hopes were set on heaven and eternity.

In your prayers, place your hopes on your eternal inheritance in heaven, just as Paul did. Pray that God might help you understand how powerful he is.

A prayer for today…

Dear Lord, help me understand the wonderful future you have promised me…

From The One Year® Book of Bible Prayers edited by Bruce Barton (Tyndale) entry for December 6

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

THE SOUNDS OF SILENCE

THE SOUNDS OF SILENCE

READ:  Proverbs 10:19-21

The lips of the righteous nourish 

many.  -Proverbs 10:21

A fishing buddy of mine observed, “Shallow streams make the most noise,” a delightful turn on the old adage, “Still waters run deep.”  He meant, of course, that people who make the most noise tend to have little of substance to say.

The flip side of that problem is that we don’t listen well either.  I’m reminded of the line in the old Simon and Garfunkel song Sounds of Silence about folks hearing without listening.  Oh, they hear the words, but they fail to silence their own thoughts and truly listen.  It would be good if we all learned to be silent and still.

There is “a time to be silent and a time to speak” (Eccl. 3:7).  Good silence is a listening silence, a humble silence.  It leads to right hearing, right understanding, and right speaking.  “The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,” the proverb says, “but one who has insight draws them out” (Proverbs 20:5).  It takes a lot of hard listening to get all the way to the bottom.

And while we listen to others, we should also be listening to God and hearing what He has to say.  I think of Jesus, scribbling with His finger in the dust while the Pharisees railed on the woman caught in adultery (SEE JOHN 8:1-11).  What was He doing?  May I suggest that He could have been simply listening for His Father’s void and asking, “What shall we say to this crowd and this dear woman?”  His response is still being heard around the world.                                                                     DAVID ROPER

Father, today may Your Spirit remind us to seek the quiet so that we may listen first to Your voice and then understand the hearts of others.  Teach us when to speak and when to be quiet.

Well-timed silence can be more eloquent than words.

INSIGHT

One of the major themes in  Proverbs is our speech (Proverbs 10:19-21; 15:1-4;, 23, 24; 16:24, 27, 28; 18:7-8;21:23).  In Proverbs 10 Solomon contrasts the wise and the foolish person, noting it is our speech that reveals which one we really are (vv.11,18-21).  Those who are righteous and wise are restrained and judicious in their words and sometimes choose silence as the best response.  If we keep silent, we will never say the wrong thing (v.19), and we will even be thought to be wise (17:28).  Jesus said that our words come from our heart and reveal whether we are good or evil.  He warned that one day we shall give an account for the words we have spoken (Matthew 12:35-36).     SIM KAY TEE

Have a blessed evening.

God Our Creator’s Love Always.

Unity & Peace

WHAT IS YOUR CONCEPT OF HEAVEN?

Today's promise: God has great rewards for those who remain faithful

What is your concept of heaven?

"How happy are those who fear the Lord — all who follow his ways! You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How happy you will be! How rich your life!"

Psalm 128:1-2 NLT

Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

Hebrews 11:6 NLT

He died for us so that we can live with him forever, whether we are dead or alive at the time of his return.

1 Thessalonians 5:10 NLT

Made for another world

Most of us find it very difficult to want "Heaven" at all — except in so far as "Heaven" means meeting again our friends who have died. One reason for this difficulty is that we have not been trained: Our whole education tends to fix our minds on this world. Another reason is that when the real want for Heaven is present in us, we might not recognize it. Most people, if they had really learned to look into their own hearts, would know that they do want, and want acutely, something that cannot be had in this world. There are all sorts of things in this world that offer to give it to you, but they never quite keep their promise.

"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."

C.S. Lewis

From the The Quotable Lewis edited by Jerry Root and Wayne Martindale (Tyndale) pp 286-87

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

THE MAIN EVENT

THE MAIN EVENT

READ: Luke 10:38-42

One thing is needed, and

Mary has chosen that good

part.  Luke 10:42 NKJV

While watching a fireworks display during a celebration in my city, I became distracted.  Off to the right and the left of the main event, smaller fireworks occasionally popped up in the sky.  They were good, but watching them caused me to miss parts of the more spectacular display directly above me.

Sometimes good things take us away from something better.  That happened in the life of Martha, whose story is recorded in Luke 10:38-42.  When Jesus and His disciples arrived in the village of Bethany, Martha welcomed them into her home.  Being a good host meant that someone had to prepare the meal for the guests, so we don’t want to be too hard on her.

When Martha complained that her sister Mary wasn’t helping, Jesus defended Mary’s choice to sit at His feet.  But the Lord wasn’t saying that Mary was more spiritual than her sister.  On occasion Martha seems to have shown more trust in Jesus than Mary did (John 11:19-20).  And He wasn’t being critical of Martha’s desire to look after their physical needs.  Rather, what the Lord wanted Martha to hear is that in the busyness of our service, listening to Him is the main event.           ANNE CETAS

Dear Lord, help me to remember that my service for You is important, but it can never take the place of intimate fellowship with You.

Jesus longs for our fellowship.

INSIGHT

Mary and Martha appear on three occasions in the Gospel accounts (Luke 10; John 11 and 12).  They were friends of Jesus and sisters of Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead (John 11:17-37). It is interesting to note the significant interaction Jesus had with them.  In Jesus’ day women were not regarded as reliable witnesses, yet Mary and Martha played a large role in witnessing Jesus’ miracles and message.                                                            J.R. HUDBERG

Have a blessed evening.

God Our Creator’s Love Always.

Unity & Peace

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR REWARDS ON EARTH?

Today's promise: God has great rewards for those who remain faithful

Are you looking for rewards on earth?

"…we who are still alive and remain on earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with him forever."

1 Thessalonians 4:17 NLT

Awaiting our day

The story is told of an old missionary couple returning to the States after many years of thankless service in Africa. They happened to be on the same ship to New York as President Theodore Roosevelt, who was returning from a big game hunt in Africa. As the ship pulled past the Statue of Liberty and into the dock, huge crowds were gathered to welcome him home. The press was out in full force, and thousands of people had come to get a glimpse of the president.

In the middle of the chaos, the aged missionary couple fought their way through the crowds with their large suitcases in tow. Silently they hailed a cab and made their way to a cheap hotel. The missionary sat on the bed and said to his wife, "It just doesn't seem right. We gave our lives to Christ to win souls for the Kingdom in Africa, and when we arrive home there is no one here to meet us. The president shoots a few animals and receives a royal welcome."

His wife sat beside him on the bed and said softly, "That's because we're not home yet, dear."

It may seem at times as if our work for Christ is going unnoticed. Faith doesn't bring a lot of praise on this earth. But that's only because our trip is not yet over.

Our day will come, you can be sure. And when it does, the ceremony will last for an eternity.

From Embracing Eternity by Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins and Frank M. Martin (Tyndale) p 346

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

FROM STRESSED TO BLESSED

From Stressed to Blessed

I’m stressed…not because I have to wear a vest to walk down my block.  Not because the cops tell me to stop because I fit the description of a nigga they’re chasin’.  Not because I live in a nation where segregation was a tool for regulation of a population.

I’m stressed…not because my seed was taken from me by this angelic chick that was really a female dog in disguise.  Not because I tried so hard to find a job but no one seemed to be hirin’.  Not because enquirin’ eyes stare at me as if times haven’t changed.  I’m like a slave with hidden chains.

I’m stressed…not because love is a word used so loosely in today’s society.  Love is a verb but people use this four-letter word like a noun; a person place or “thing”.  Not because my bling doesn’t shine as bright as a man who did time.  I went to college to gain knowledge while he’s on the block makin’ profits.  I’m not hatin’, I’m just sayin’.

I’m stressed…not because the president of my country is so concerned with overseas that he can’t see that his own country is in need.  Not because greed is a necessity to succeed in today’s world.  Not because girls are growin’ up to fast, givin’ up that behind before they are ready.  Babies havin’ babies makin’ ladies grandmothers before they reach their thirties.

I’m stressed…not because the best things in life are said to be free but the only thing free I’ve seen in my life was cheese.  Not because sellin’ trees is illegal; this law coming from a country that used to sell people.  Not because a lethal injection can be given to a man who killed more people than I can count on one hand.  For all his pain causin’ sins he is given a peaceful syringe…” call out the firing squad”!!!

I’m  stressed…not because Dr. King had a dream that nearly came true; yes I can use the front door but it’s obvious…we’re not equal.  Not because some people are confused to the rules of fair play.  While one man is ready to throw his hands the other grabs his AK.  Not because today lying’ in a bed and sexin’ without a condom is equally as deadly as a child with a shotgun.

I’m stressed…not because I passed all my tests in college except one and that one held me back from my graduation.  Not because the sun is getting’ hotter and hotter but it doesn’t bother some people that the ozone layer has been eaten through.  Not because my nephews and nieces will inherit a world where diseases will grow faster than they do.

I’m stressed; but why am I stressed?  Cause life itself is a mess, though it’s a blessing from God.  It seems Satan throws obstacles in the way to make it hard.  Every grey cloud has a silver lining; the key to survivin’ is findin’ that linin’.  God never gives you more than you can handle, so whenever you feel stressed just do what I do…pray.  Just like an apple a day keeps the doctor away, a prayer from your heart sends God’s blessings your way.  It may happen today, tomorrow, next week, in a year but fear not cause when needed, He’ll be there.

I’m blessed with air in my lungs so I can breathe.  I’m blessed with a good job without pullin’ tricks from my sleeve.  I’m blessed with a sense of empathy, which gives me the decency to help a fellow human being.

I’m blessed with a college education earned athletically; parents who are proud of me and the ability to make them be.

I’m blessed the gift of writin’ like this.  Keepin’ minds in the midst cause they’re boggled by my script.

I’m blessed with a rep on my block.  Not for shootin’ niggas or getting’ shot; my family is blessed with positive props.  Speakin’ of my family, I’m blessed with one that’s there for me.  Especially and effortlessly in my greatest times of need.

J. WIGGINS AKA OFFICIAL

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