DAILY PRAYERS & BLESSINGS

JANUARY 26

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of

the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the

breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Genesis 2:7

Lord, with each breath I take I am aware that it is you who breathed life into me.  My next breath is as dependent of you as my last breath was.  And I can confidently rest in the knowledge that it will be you and you alone who will determine when the last breath leaves my body and I go to be with you.  Today, Lord, I thank you for the gift of life and for each breath I take.

KNOWING GOD

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

365 DEVOTIONS FROM OUR DAILY BREAD

KNOWING GOD

READ:  Psalm 96:1-13

Let him who glories glory in this, that he understands

and knows Me, that I am the Lord.  Jeremiah 9:24

It’s one thing to know about God, but it’s quite another to know Him personally.  Let’s see how this distinction applies when considering some of God’s attributes.

The thought that God is present everywhere is staggering.  But to be aware of His presence in times of need brings comfort and hope.  

The thought that God knows everything is mind-boggling.  But to have the confidence that no detail of our lives escapes His attention is to enjoy a peace that endures through every trial.

The thought that the Lord is all-powerful makes us marvel at His greatness.   But to have Him actually work in, through, and for us encourages us to relax in His mighty arms.

The thought that God never changes is a reassuring truth.  But to commit ourselves to the care of this never-changing One is to know the stability of His faithfulness.

The thought that God is love is wonderful to contemplate.  But to know Him as a loving Redeemer through personal faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, brings the joy of sins forgiven.

The writer of Psalm 96 knew God, and that relationship was reflected in his words.  His heart poured out praise, and he longed for others to know the Lord and worship Him as well.

Do you know God personally?  Does it show?    RDH

Sing praise to God who reigns above,

The God of all creation,

The God of power, the God of love,

The God of our salvation. -Schutz

Knowing about God is fascinating; knowing God personally is life-changing.    

GUIDING CHILDREN TO GOD

Guiding Children to God

Continue in what you have learned . . . how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures.

2 Timothy 3:14-15

READ 2 TIMOTHY 3:10–15

An outspoken atheist believes it’s immoral for parents to teach their children religion as though it were actually true. He even claims that parents who pass along their faith to their children are committing child abuse. Though these views are extreme, I do hear from parents who are hesitant to boldly encourage their children toward faith. While most of us readily hope to influence our children with our view of politics or nutrition or sports, for some reason some of us treat our convictions about God differently.

In contrast, Paul wrote of how Timothy had been taught “from infancy . . . the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). Timothy didn’t arrive at faith as an adult through the power of his own, unaided reason. Rather, his mother nurtured his heart toward God; then he continued in what he had learned (v. 14). If God is life, the source of true wisdom, then it’s vital for us to tenderly cultivate a love for God in our families.

There are many belief systems that are influencing our children. TV shows, movies, music, teachers, friends, the media—each of these carry assumptions (either obvious or under the radar) about faith that exert real influence. May we choose not to be silent. The beauty and grace we’ve experienced compels us to guide our children toward God.

By Winn Collier

REFLECT & PRAY

Dear Father, thank You for the joy and privilege to gracefully nurture children’s hearts toward You.

Reflect on the myriad influences and messages children (or all of us) receive in a given day. How do these forces shape you and those you love?

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

Paul loves Timothy like a son (2 Timothy 1:2) and wants him to grow strong in a love and faith worth living and dying for (2:1-3). But while referring often in his letter to themes of suffering and harassment (1:8-9, 11-12, 15; 2:8-10; 3:10-12; 4:17-18), the apostle didn’t have a persecution complex. In fact, when he tells Timothy that all who want to live in the spirit and reverence of Jesus will experience opposition (2 Timothy 3:12), he does so in the context of warning that those who live only for themselves will be doing greater harm to themselves and one another in the long run (vv. 1-9, 13). Paul reminded Timothy that that those who opposed them weren’t the real enemy. Without realizing it, such persons had been snared by the devil to distract from the goodness and grace of Christ (2:22-26; Ephesians 6:12). Mart DeHaan

DAILY PRAYERS & BLESSINGS - JANUARY 25

JANUARY 25

Lord, we are so thankful to you for our families and close friends.  How lonely our lives would be without them, even in this splendid world of your making!  What a privilege it is to come to you every day to offer prayers for them.  Day after day I bring before you those close to me who need your special attention.  If I can’t sleep at night, I pray for them again.  Each one is so precious to me, Lord, and I know you cherish them as well.  As I think of them during the day, please consider each thought to be another small prayer.

ECLIPSE

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

365 DEVOTIONS FROM OUR DAILY BREAD

ECLIPSE

READ:  Psalm 148:1-14

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name

alone is exalted.  Psalm 148:13

A friend who experienced a total solar eclipse in England described the incredible sensation of being engulfed by the rushing shadow of darkness, then being awed by the proudly approaching dawn.  Some observers saw it as merely a coincidence that the moon was in the exact position to shut out the sun’s light from reaching the earth at that particular time and place.  My friend, though, called it an amazing show put on by God.  She saw it as evidence of God’s design, order, and precise control in the universe that He created.

Psalm 148 calls upon all creation to shout God’s glory:  “Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all you stars of light!…Praise the Lord…kings of the earth and all people” (vv. 3, 7, 11).

God’s creation sings His praise and reminds us of His sovereign purposes and control of all things in our lives.  We are to “praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and heaven” (v. 13).

These truths can be comforting when the sunlight of our lives is eclipsed by a time of darkness and difficulty.  We can trust and praise the sovereign God, knowing that His design is perfect, that His timing is exact, and that He is in complete control.   DCM

This is my Father’s world,

O let me ne’er forget

That though the wrong seems oft so strong

God is the ruler yet. -Babcock

Because God is in control, we have nothing to fear.  

THE GREATEST MYSTERY

The Greatest Mystery

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Colossians 1:15

READ COLOSSIANS 1:15–22

Before I came to faith in Jesus, I’d heard the gospel preached but wrestled with His identity. How could He offer forgiveness for my sins when the Bible says only God can forgive sins? I discovered I wasn’t alone in my struggles after reading J. I. Packer’s Knowing God. Packer suggests that for many unbelievers the “really staggering Christian claim is that Jesus of Nazareth was God made man . . . as truly and fully divine as He was human.” Yet this is the truth that makes salvation possible.

When the apostle Paul refers to Christ as “the image of the invisible God,” he’s saying Jesus is completely and perfectly God—Creator and Sustainer of all things in heaven and earth‒but also fully human (Colossians 1:15-17). Because of this truth, we can be confident that through Christ’s death and resurrection, He’s not only carried the consequences for our sins but has also redeemed human nature, so that we—and all of creation—can be reconciled to God (vv. 20-22).

In an amazing, initiating act of love, God the Father reveals Himself in and through Scripture by the power of God the Holy Spirit and through the life of God the Son. Those who believe in Jesus are saved because He is Emmanuel—God with us. Hallelujah!

By Xochitl Dixon

REFLECT & PRAY

Loving God, thank You for revealing Yourself and reconciling us through Jesus.

When have you wrestled with your understanding of Jesus? What was the result?

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

Paul wrote Colossians to refute false teachings. He doesn’t specifically state what these heresies were other than they pertained to who Christ is. Paul sets forth the deity of Jesus (1:15-16), His superiority and authority (vv. 17-23), and His sufficiency for salvation and spiritual growth (2:6-15). Probably no passage in the New Testament contains more concentrated doctrine about Christ than Colossians 1:15-23. Paul affirmed four things about His identity and authority: He’s God (v. 15); He’s the Creator and Sustainer of all creation (vv. 16-17); He’s the Head of the church, His new creation (v. 18); and He’s our Redeemer and Savior (vv. 19-23). K. T. Sim

DAILY PRAYERS & BLESSINGS - JANUARY 24

JANUARY 24

And there ye shall eat before the Lord your God, and ye shall

rejoice in all that you put your hand unto, ye and your

households, wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee.

Deuteronomy 12:7

May you find joy and satisfaction in your family life.  In building a home and setting up a residence-be blessed!  In finding a job and working diligently-be blessed!  In taking care of little ones and making friends in the neighborhood-be blessed!  In seeking God for all your help and guidance, bring every care to him yes, may you indeed be blessed.

MANDY JUST LISTENED

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

365 DEVOTIONS FROM OUR DAILY BREAD

MANDY JUST LISTENED

READ:  Job 2:11-13

They sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights,

and no one spoke a word to him.  Job 2:13

Marty had gotten an unexpected “thank you” for service to the company-a terse note that concluded, “Your position has been terminated”

After Marty had spent months fruitlessly searching for a job, his frustration finally got to him.  Angrily, he screamed at God, “Why did you do this to me?  Don’t you care?”  He continued his tirade until he noticed his dog Mandy cowering by a chair. Composing himself, he said, “Come here, pup.  You should be glad you’re a dog.  At least you can’t get fired from being man’s best friends.”  As he poured out his woes and tales to Mandy, his bitterness disappeared.

David Biebel, the author who told this story, wrote:  “You might think the relief came from all the things he said to God, and certainly that was part of it.  But Mandy played a big part too…[She] didn’t argue or offer solutions or advice .  She just listened, wagging her tail and licking her master’s hand.”

  When Job’s three friends saw his misery, they just sat with him, wept, and said nothing for seven days.  But then they abandoned the wisdom of their silence. 

Sometimes we need to just “weep with those who seep” (Romans 12:15).  Our listening ear may be what they need, so they can hear what God is saying to them.  DJD

When  our friends encounter suffering,

We can help them if we’re near;

Some may need a word of comfort,

Others just a listening ear. -Sper

Listening may be the most important thing you do today.

  

NO LINE TO LOVE

No Line to Love

I have made you and I will carry you.

Isaiah 46:4

READ ISAIAH 46:3–10

Sometimes when my Labrador retriever wants attention, he’ll take something of mine and parade it in front of me. One morning as I was writing at the desk with my back turned, Max snatched my wallet and ran off. But realizing I hadn’t seen him do it, he returned and nudged me with his nose—wallet in mouth, eyes dancing, tail wagging, taunting me to play.

Max’s antics made me laugh, but they also reminded me of my limitations when it comes to being attentive to others. So often I’ve intended to spend time with family or friends, but other things occupy my time and awareness; and before I know it the day slips away and love is left undone.

How comforting to know that our heavenly Father is so great that He’s able to attend to each of us in the most intimate ways—even sustaining every breath in our lungs for as long as we live. He promises His people, “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you” (Isaiah 46:4).

God always has time for us. He understands every detail of our circumstances—no matter how complex or difficult—and is there whenever we call on Him in prayer. We never have to wait in line for our Savior’s unlimited love.

By James Banks

REFLECT & PRAY

You always have time for me, Jesus. Please help me to live every moment for You!

In what ways does God take care of your daily needs? How can you share His love with others?

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

In Isaiah 46, God contrasts Himself to idols (“burdensome” gods, v. 1) made by man. They not only are incapable of rescuing their worshipers but they themselves have to be carried to safety (vv. 1-2, 6-7). These gods included Bel (a variant of Baal), the principal god of the Babylonians, and his son Nebo. In contrast, God created us, carries us, and sustains us (v. 4). He alone is the one true God: “I am God, and there is no other” (v. 9). The Bible repeatedly points to this truth (Deuteronomy 4:39; 2 Samuel 7:22; Nehemiah 9:6; Isaiah 44:6). Alyson Kieda

DAILY PRAYERS & BLESSINGS - JANUARY 23

JANUARY 23

Then hear thou from the heavens,  even from thy dwelling

place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their

cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.

2 Chronicles 6:39

God, I do not intend to hurt you and others.  I am not always sure what happens in those times when I do hurt you and others.  I am thankful that you forgive.  Please help others to forgive me, too.  Remind us all to follow your teachings.  We pray that you will guide and comfort us.

KILLING TIME

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

365 DEVOTIONS FROM OUR DAILY BREAD

KILLING TIME

Walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,

redeeming the time.  Ephesians 5:15-16

A friend of mine was sitting on a park bench with his hands folded, staring into the distance.  When I asked what he was doing, he replied, “Oh, just killing time.”

What a cruel thing to do to something as valuable as time!  Why kill it?  Time is given to us to be cultivated, not murdered.  Time should never be wasted but used to the best advantage.

Of course, there are times when we must relax and rest.  Even Jesus said to his disciples, “Come aside…and rest a while” (Mark 6:31).  But that was not “killing time”; it was using time for restoration.  After they had rested, they would be able to use their time more fruitfully and profitably.

If a fraction of the time we wasted could be used to pray, read the Bible, witness to others, visit a friend in distress, or comfort someone who is grieving, what a difference it would make!  Today, when you have leisure time, ask yourself how you can best improve those extra moments.  You may think I am being narrow-minded, but the Bible is clear-we are to be “wise, redeeming the time” (Ephesians 5:15-16).

Today, see how much good you can do for God and others-not how little you can get by with.  It is not true that we can “make up lost time.”  It is gone forever!    MRD

God’s people have so much to do

In serving Christ today

That they should use their precious time

To share, to love, to pray. -JDB

Time-use it or lose it!

WAITING WITH THE TURTLE

Waiting with the Turtle

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.

Psalm 40:1

READ PSALM 40:1–5, 14–17

Every fall, when the painted turtle senses winter coming, she dives to the bottom of her pond, burying herself in the muck and mud. She pulls into her shell and goes still: her heart rate slows, almost stopping. Her body temperature drops, staying just above freezing. She stops breathing, and she waits. For six months, she stays buried, and her body releases calcium from her bones into her bloodstream, so that she slowly begins even to lose her shape.

But when the pond thaws, she will float up and breathe again. Her bones will reform, and she will feel the warmth of the sun on her shell.

I think of the painted turtle when I read the psalmist’s description of waiting for God. The psalmist is in a “slimy pit” of “mud and mire,” but God hears him (Psalm 40:2). God lifts him out, and gives him a firm place to stand. God is “my help and my deliverer,” he sings (v. 17).

Perhaps it feels like you’ve been waiting forever for something to change—for a new direction in your career, for a relationship to be restored, for the willpower to break a bad habit, or for deliverance from a difficult situation. The painted turtle and the psalmist are here to remind us to trust in God: He hears, and He will deliver.

By Amy Peterson

REFLECT & PRAY

God, sometimes it’s hard to wait. But we trust in You and in Your deliverance. Please give us patience, and allow Your greatness and glory to be evident in our lives.

What do you need to trust God with? What might that look like today?

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

Psalm 40 both praises God for His help in the past (vv. 1-10) and pleads for His help once more in a new crisis (vv. 11-17). The “pit” and “mud and mire” of verse 2 were images associated with death; for the psalmist, God’s deliverance in the past was experienced as dramatically as being given a new life after death. Although the writer’s sufferings are too many to name (v. 12), so are God’s many wonders (v. 5). God’s long history of faithfulness gives His people a solid foundation for trust and confidence (v. 2). Monica Brands

DAILY PRAYERS & BLESSINGS - JANUARY 22

JANUARY 22

For I know the thoughts that I think toward

you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and

not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Jeremiah 29:11

Lord, how it must amuse you at times to see us orchestrating the details of our days as if everything and everyone were in our control.  It’s only when you are involved in our plans that things go smoothly, Lord.  Teach us to trust that your way is the better way, even when we can’t see how every detail will turn out.  Our insight is only as good as our reliance on you.  Please be with us each day, Lord.

HOW LONG?

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

365 DEVOTIONS FROM OUR DAILY BREAD

HOW LONG?

READ:  PSALM 13

How long, O Lord?  Will You forget me forever?  How long

will You hide Your face from me?  Psalm 13:1

My friends Bod and Delores understand what it means to wait for answers-answers that need seem to come.  When their son Jason and future daughter-in-law Lindsay were murdered in August 2004, a national manhunt was undertaken to find the killer and bring him to justice.  After two years of prayer and pursuit, there were still no tangible answers to the painful questions the two hurting families wrestled with.  There was only silence.

In such times we are vulnerable to wrong assumptions and conclusions about life, about God, and about prayers.  In Psalm 13, David wrestled with the problem of unanswered prayer.  He questioned why the world was so dangerous and pleaded for answers from God.

It’s a hard psalm that David sang, and it seems to be one of frustration.  Yet, in the end, his doubts and fears turned to trust.  Why? Because the circumstances of our struggles cannot diminish the character of God and His care for His children.  In verse 5, David turned a corner.  From his heart he prayed, “But I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.”

In the pain and struggle of living without answers, we can always find comfort in our heavenly Father.   BC

When we pray, God wraps us in His loving arms.  

DEMONSTRATING GRACE

Demonstrating Grace

You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

Micah 7:19

READ MICAH 7:18–20

“In moments where tragedy happens or even hurt, there are opportunities to demonstrate grace or to exact vengeance,” the recently bereaved man remarked. “I chose to demonstrate grace.” Pastor Erik Fitzgerald’s wife had been killed in a car accident caused by an exhausted firefighter who fell asleep while driving home, and legal prosecutors wanted to know whether he would seek the maximum sentence. The pastor chose to practice the forgiveness he often preached about. To the surprise of both him and the firefighter, the men eventually became friends.

Pastor Erik was living out of the grace he’d received from God, who’d forgiven him all of his sins. Through his actions he echoed the words of the prophet Micah, who praised God for pardoning sin and forgiving when we do wrong (Micah 7:18). The prophet uses wonderfully visual language to show just how far God goes in forgiving His people, saying that He will “tread our sins underfoot” and hurl our wrongdoings into the deep sea (v. 19). The firefighter received a gift of freedom that day, which brought him closer to God.

Whatever difficulty we face, we know that God reaches out to us with loving, open arms, welcoming us into His safe embrace. He “delights to show mercy” (v. 18). As we receive His love and grace, He gives us the strength to forgive those who hurt us—even as Pastor Erik did.

By Amy Boucher Pye

REFLECT & PRAY

Father God, You love us without ceasing, and You delight to forgive us when we return to You. Envelop us with Your love, that we might demonstrate grace to those who hurt us.

How do you respond to this story of amazing forgiveness? Can you think of someone you need to forgive? If so, ask God to help you.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

The prophet Micah declares, “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (6:8). However, Israel had not lived up to those requirements. In chapter 7, the author reviews the nation’s grim prospects because of their disobedience (vv. 1-6). But verse 7 of this final chapter signals a sudden change in tone, and the book’s last thirteen verses comprise a surprisingly triumphant hymn. Why is it triumphant? Because the prophet praises God’s character. Despite all the harsh (and deserved) pronouncements of judgment, God will be true to His word. He will redeem His people. And so Micah asks, “Who is a God like you?” (v. 18). Israel’s loving God will keep His covenant as He “pledged on oath . . . in days long ago” (v. 20). Tim Gustafson

DAILY PRAYERS & BLESSINGS - JANUARY 21

JANUARY 21

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today 

is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not

much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or,

What shall we drink” or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

Matthew 6:30-31

If I count the things I’ve asked for that you have not give me, I begin to believe you do not love me, God.  But if, instead, I bring to mind all of the goodness you have shown me, I come to trust that you have never given me less than what I need and often have blessed me with far more from a depth of love I cannot comprehend.

HOLD HANDS AND JUMP!

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

365 DEVOTIONS FROM OUR DAILY BREAD

HOLD HANDS AND JUMP!

READ:  Ecclesiastes 4:8-12

Two are better than one.  Ecclesiastes 4:9

When Leo and Amy opened a three-hundred-seat, fine-dining restaurant, Leo admitted he was “scared of everything.”  Amy equates their leap of faith in starting their business to holding hands while jumping off a mountain.  But if you’re going to do something scary, “you want to do it with someone you know and trust,”  Leo continued.

Chris and Karie, another couple who took a risk to own and run a restaurant together, say they have “a good working relationship, as well as mutual admiration for each other’s work.”

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, knew how crucial it is to have companions in life.  He wrote, “Two are better than one” (Ecclesiastes 4:9).  When one falls during a difficult time, another provides comfort and support (vv. 10-12).  We need our spouses and friends to help us through the scary times and to provide emotional support.  Loners make life harder for themselves (v. 8).  But those who recognize their need for others find help and encouragement.

If you need to take a leap of faith-something involving finances, a career change, a new ministry-invite someone trustworthy to hold your hand as you make that jump.  Or give that same encouragement to someone close to you.  Because two really are better than one.  AC

We are dependent on the strength

We draw from one another;

Words spoken give encouragement,

Love practiced draws us closer. -Sper 

Those who trust God can help others to do the same.

WHERE ARE YOU HEADED?

Where Are You Headed?

Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!”

2 Samuel 12:7

READ 2 SAMUEL 12:1–14

In northern Thailand, the Wild Boars youth soccer team decided to explore a cave together. After an hour they turned to go back and found that the entrance to the cave was flooded. Rising water pushed them deeper into the cave, day after day, until they were finally trapped more than two miles (four kilometers) inside. When they were heroically rescued two weeks later, many wondered how they had become so hopelessly trapped. Answer: one step at a time.

In Israel, Nathan confronted David for killing his loyal soldier, Uriah. How did the man “after [God’s] own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14) become guilty of murder? One step at a time. David didn’t go from zero to murder in one afternoon. He warmed up to it, over time, as one bad decision bled into others. It started with a second glance that turned into a lustful stare. He abused his kingly power by sending for Bathsheba, then tried to cover up her pregnancy by calling her husband home from the front. When Uriah refused to visit his wife while his comrades were at war, David decided he would have to die.

We may not be guilty of murder or trapped in a cave of our own making, but we’re either moving toward Jesus or toward trouble. Big problems don’t develop overnight. They break upon us gradually, one step at a time.

By Mike Wittmer

REFLECT & PRAY

Jesus, I’m running to You!

What decision can you make right now to move toward Jesus and away from trouble? What must you do to confirm this decision?

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

David committed adultery and murder (2 Samuel 11) and assumed that as king he was answerable to no one. A year later, God sent the prophet Nathan to confront him about his wickedness (ch. 12). After confessing and repenting of his sins, David wrote Psalm 51, and many believe this is also the context for Psalm 32. Though forgiven, David had to face the consequences of his sin. His son conceived with Bathsheba died (2 Samuel 12:13-18). And just as Uriah was killed by the sword (vv. 9-10), three of David’s other sons—Amnon (13:28-29), Absalom (18:14-15), and Adonijah (1 King 2:23-25)—died by the sword. K. T. Sim