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Making Ready for Battle . . . praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-- Ephesians 6:18 Recommended Reading Philippians 4:6-7 Two soldiers, identically dressed and equipped with the finest battlefield armor and weapons, are sent into battle. One is given awards for bravery, while the other lives with the shame of having deserted his post. Such a rudimentary illustration points out a profound truth: There is more to victory in battle than armor and weapons. In military warfare terms, call it conviction, attitude, or readiness—the mental preparation that steels one against what might come. In spiritual warfare terms, call it prayer. Paul concluded his description of the Christian’s spiritual armor by exhorting the Ephesians to pray “always . . . in the Spirit” and to be “watchful . . . for all the saints.” Prayer is that spiritual connection with the One Who is our armor, Je...

May 31, 2011 The Wilderness Cycle by Charles R. Swindoll Read Exodus 17:1–16 Each of us has his or her own wilderness cycle. Some struggle with a quiver full of small children at home. Others have no children. Your test may not be related to the home at all; it may be connected to your employment. Perhaps you're wrestling with relationships; you're abrasive and have difficulty with people. That's why God keeps you with people and grinds away so that your long-standing Egyptian habit might be altered. With others it's finances; you live continually under the gun of insufficient funds. Maybe it's a problem related to academics and school issues. That's your wilderness. Your wilderness does not separate from you merely because you fly several thousand miles to some other spot. Wherever you go, your Egyptian appetite accompanies you. God is in the business of not only putting you through the Red Sea at salvation, but in getting you to Canaan by way of the wilderne...

Tuesday, May 31, 2011 Going It Alone by Charles R. Swindoll Read Exodus 4:11–17 Do you know what God did? He accommodated Moses' desire. But the compromise was less than the best; brother Aaron proved to be an albatross around his neck. It was Aaron who got impatient while Moses was on the mountain and created a golden calf for the people to worship. It was he who told the people, "This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt" (Exodus 32:4). As you read these words, you may sense God's nudge to step out on faith in a plan that seems risky at best. You don't have all the answers. You don't know the hows and whys and wherefores of what God has in mind. From a human point of view, the prospects look rather bleak. Do you know what our tendency is? It's to take someone with us. Somehow, that keeps us from having to put our full trust in the Lord's plan; we can lean on that gifted friend or companion we've brought along with...

Tuesday, May 31, 2011 How Can We Hear from God? Jack Graham If you go to any church this Sunday, stand up in front of the congregation, and ask, “Who here wants to do the will of God?” you’d probably see most of the people raise their hands. But if instead you asked, “Who here knows how to find the will of God?” you probably would see a lot fewer hands go up! There’s so much ambiguity among believers when it comes to knowing God’s will. But there are three ways I believe God reveals his will to his people. First, God will show you his will by his Word, the Bible. The better you know your Bible, the better you will know the will of God. It represents the thoughts of God, the ways of God, and shows how God operates. So as you search the Scriptures, God will speak to you. Not only does God speak through his Word, but God speaks through his witness, the Holy Spirit. You can pray and ask God to speak to you through his Spirit and reveal his will to you that way. Number three is God’s wi...

Bad Choice May 31, 2011 — by Dave Branon Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn Read: Revelation 20:11-15 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. —Daniel 12:2 Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 13-14; John 12:1-26 An elderly TV star was asked by talk-show host Larry King about heaven. King prefaced his question by referring to Billy Graham, who had told King he “knew what would be ahead. It would be paradise. He was going to heaven.” King then asked his guest, “What do you believe?” He replied, “I’d like a lot of activity. Heaven sounds too placid for me. There’s a lot to do in hell.” Sadly, this man is not alone in thinking that an existence in Satan’s realm is a preferred destination. I’ve heard people say that they’d rather be in hell because all their friends will be there. One person wrote, “If hell was real, I don’t think it would be bad. There would be a lot of interesting people.” How ...

Memorial Day Men and women have served in the Armed Forces here and in foreign lands. Some have paid the ultimate price with their lives; Some have lost eyesight, limbs or suffer with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome; Some have committed suicide; Some are contemplating suicide. We cannot say Happy Memorial Day, but... Thanks for your service to country and the fight for democracy and freedom everywhere. - Rev. Lynwood F. Mundy

Power of the Sword For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 Recommended Reading Acts 7:38 In his book The Lost Art of Disciple Making (Zondervan, 1978), Leroy Eims describes his personal battle with anger and a temper. It was not until he made a covenant with God, which included memorizing and meditating on Colossians 3:8 (“But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath . . . .”), that anger loosened its grip on his emotions. He reviewed the verse daily and asked the Lord to bring it to mind whenever he was tempted to lose his temper. The Word of God became a sword with which he was able to win his spiritual battle. Jesus used Scripture in a similar way. When He was tempted for 40 days and nights in the wilderness by Satan, Jesus rebuffed every temptation by quoting an appr...

Let Honor Meet Honor May 30, 2011 — by Randy Kilgore Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn Read: Matthew 6:1-6 Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. —Matthew 6:1 Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 10-12; John 11:30-57 I’ve always been impressed by the solemn, magnificent simplicity of the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. The carefully choreographed event is a moving tribute to soldiers whose names—and sacrifice—are “known but to God.” Equally moving are the private moments of steady pacing when the crowds are gone: back and forth, hour after hour, day by day, in even the worst weather. In September 2003, Hurricane Isabel was bearing down on Washington, DC, and the guards were told they could seek shelter during the worst of the storm. Surprising almost no one, the guards refused! They unselfishly stood their post to honor their fa...

Monday, May 30, 2011 And the Answer Is . . . by Charles R. Swindoll Read Exodus 4:1–10 "But Lord," Moses was saying, "I can't be Your spokesman in this situation. Why, I wouldn't have any answers when those guys started firing questions at me." Before we consider the Lord's response, stop and think about that lame excuse for a moment. It has a familiar ring to it, doesn't it? It's a pretext mouthed by many believers today. "Lord, I can't do that, because I'll get in a verbal corner and won't know how to handle it. Somebody will ask me, 'What about the heathen in Africa?' or 'How did they fit dinosaurs into Noah's ark?' I'll get tongue-tied. I won't know what to say, and I'll appear ridiculous and foolish in the eyes of other people. No, I can't do that, Lord. You can see that, can't You? I just don't have all the answers." Maybe you remember what it was like in high school or ...

Monday, May 30, 2011 Don't Judge? Greg Laurie Do you know what the nonbeliever's favorite verse is? It is Matthew 7:1: "Do not judge others, and you will not be judged." This verse is usually quoted after we say something like, "Well you know what? I don't think that is right." This verse, however, is not telling us that we should not make judgments, because in other passages we read that as believers, we are indeed to make evaluations, to be discerning, and yes - to even make judgments. In fact, the Bible asks, "Don't you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can't you decide even these little things among yourselves?" (1 Corinthians 6:2). We are also told in Scripture that "judgment must begin with God's household" (1 Peter 4:17). We are to judge, but we are not to condemn. In fact, a better translation of Matthew 7:1 would be: "Do not condemn others,...

Monday, May 30, 2011 May 30 How to Walk Wisely Proverbs 28:26 Believers are to walk by faith, according to 2 Corinthians 5:7. However, with so many voices clamoring for us to follow worldly paths, we sometimes struggle to hear and apply God’s wisdom. For example, our natural impulse to withhold mercy is hard to ignore, even though the Lord demands that we forgive (Eph. 4:32). Godly wisdom is the capacity to view things as the Lord does and to respond according to biblical principles. This discernment isn’t automatic. Yes, God’s Spirit lives inside believers to prompt them to do right. However, each individual chooses whether or not to pursue the wise way. If a person is going to walk wisely, he or she must commit to remaining on the right path—that is, to determine in the heart, “I will follow God no matter what.” Pleasing the Lord and conforming to His likeness are always the right things to do. Resolving to honor the Lord transforms the way that believers make decisions. Instea...

In the World – May 29, 2011 Natural disaster vs. Heavenly blessing: use "In the Word" to discuss Heaven & current events. SEASON OF DEATH The midwestern and southern United States have been pounded with disasters this spring. Floods and tornadoes have taken a massive toll in lives and property damage. The twister that just hit Joplin, Missouri was the deadliest in the U.S. since 1947. As the swollen waters of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers threatened population centers, the Army Corps of Engineers blew up levees and opened spillways. These actions have flooded thousands of square miles of cropland as a result. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that “floods are the deadliest weather phenomena—claiming an average of 100 lives annually.” WATER OF LIFE In the wrong measure and circumstances, water is a terrifying and powerfully destructive force. How different is the description of water in Revelation 22: no more muddy, turbulent, out-of-contr...

This week’s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for May 29) is written by Ron Arnold, senior pastor with Kaimuki Christian Church in Honolulu, Hawaii. ____________ Water of Life (Revelation 22:1-9, 13-17) By Ron Arnold Water department trucks in Honolulu display the slogan “Pure Water—Our Greatest Need—Conserve It” to remind the people of Hawaii to use this limited resource sparingly. This is true in the islands, and may be true in your area, if we’re talking about the physical realm. It’s only a half-truth in the spiritual realm. In the Scriptures, water is a symbol of life flowing from the presence of God, and it certainly is “our greatest need!” But God doesn’t call for us to conserve it. Rather, he urges us to give it away! The Water Flows from God (Revelation 22:1, 2) The Old and the New Testaments both use water to picture salvation, cleansing, and the Holy Spirit that comes from him. Ezekiel, in his vision, saw a river flowing from the temple of God giving...

Water of life Sam E. Stone The Uniform Lesson for May 29 This lesson concludes our three-month study on the general theme, "We Worship God." We have considered guidelines for leaders, followed by reasons for praise, and finally John’s vision of worship. Today’s text comes from the portion of Revelation appropriately referred to as the conclusion or epilogue. It balances the foreword of the book (1:1-8). The vision has been revealed; the church is triumphant; the wicked are cut off. Our Lord’s return will transform everything into the ultimate "happy ending" for God’s people. The Provision/Revelation 22:1-5 In the Garden of Eden, there had been a river (Genesis 2:10). Now in the new Jerusalem, the source of life flows from the Lord’s presence providing free drink (Revelation 22:17) and life (John 4:10) for all. The river of the water of life flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fr...

SUNDAY, MAY 29, 2011 | EASTER SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER Old Testament Jeremiah 29:11–14 Psalm Psalm 85 New Testament James 1:22–27 Gospel John 16:23b–30 Christian Worship One Year Lectionary (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009).

Weekend, May 28 & 29 Places of Greatness: Riverside Retreat And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. Acts 16:13 Recommended Reading Acts 16:11-15 Battle Creek, Michigan, is called "Cereal City" because it's the world headquarters for America's great cereal companies. But the town got its actual name from the river that flows through it, originally called the Waupakisco River. In 1824, a violent conflict arose there between surveyors and Native Americans. After the fracas, people started calling the place Battle Creek. In Acts 16, Paul was at "battle creek," fighting for the souls of those who had gathered on the riverside. Lydia and her family were converted, and then others were saved. But the battle for souls turned ugly when Paul was arrested and beaten. Yet even that led to other conversions and to the planting of a church in the cit...

May 28/29 God Is Always In Control Isaiah 45:5-7 I admit that I often don’t understand why bad things happen. Even so, I believe that God has a purpose for everythingHe does or permits. My faith is rooted in the biblical principle that says the Lord is sovereign (Ps. 22:28). He is in absolute control of this universe, the natural and political climate of this earth, and my life and yours. When we are in the midst of a trial, it is hard to resist crying out, “God, Why is this happening?” Sometimes we get the answer and sometimes we don’t. What we can be sure of is that nothing happens by accident or coincidence. He has a purpose for even our most painful experiences. Moreover, we have His promise to “cause all things to work together for good to those who love God” (Rom. 8:28). Seeing in advance how the Lord will work evil or hurt for our benefit is very difficult, if not impossible. My limited human perspective doesn’t allow me to grasp His greater plan. However, I can confirm th...

Are You Listening? May 28, 2011 — by Julie Ackerman Link Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn Read: Numbers 20:1-13 Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water. —Numbers 20:8 Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 4-6; John 10:24-42 He was frustrated. He was angry. He was tired of being blamed for everything that went wrong. Year after year, he had gotten them through one disaster after another. He was continually interceding on their behalf to keep them out of trouble. But all he got for his efforts was more grief. Finally, in exasperation, he said, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” (Num. 20:10). That suggestion might sound preposterous, but it wasn’t. Forty years earlier, the previous generation had the same complaint: no water. God told Moses to strike a rock with his staff (Ex. 17:6). When he obeyed, water gushed out—plenty of water. When the grumbling started again so many years later, Moses did the thing that worked bef...

May 28, 2011 Sing It Out! by Charles R. Swindoll Read Exodus 14:23–15:22 After God drowned Pharaoh's entire army in the sea, for the first time in history Israel found herself living in the Egyptian desert, out in the open, completely on her own. The Hebrews had begun their journey to the land of Canaan. God had proven Himself faithful; the nation had walked through the sea on dry land. How awestruck they must have been! As a result, they sang a song of great praise to God. All the way from verse 1 to verse 21 of Exodus 15 they continue to sing. Have you ever done that? Have you ever, on the spur of the moment, scratched out a song of praise to the Lord? I recommend it to you; it's actually an exciting experience. You say, "Well, Chuck, that's fine for you, but I'm not some kind of eloquent, creative poet. I don't have that gift. Words don't flow through me like that." Really? How do you know if you never try? The next time you go through an experien...

Saturday, May 28, 2011 Hard of Hearing by Charles R. Swindoll Read Exodus 3:4–22 Moses had been resistant for forty years, telling himself all that time that his was a lost cause. Now, when God came with a direct, simple call, the old shepherd couldn't handle it. In fact, he wouldn't let himself believe he might still be useful to God. "Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt" (Exodus 3:10). Now that wasn't complicated, was it? The Lord spoke in a tongue Moses could understand. He gave him a simple, two-fold command. First, He said to Moses, "I will send you." And second, "You will bring My people out." That was the plan. Notice, please, that this was not a multiple choice arrangement. It wasn't even an invitation. It was a call. God does not speak and ask our advice regarding His plan. God makes declarations. He doesn't open up the scene for a rap sessio...

The Pilot’s Rutter May 27, 2011 — by Dennis Fisher Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn Read: Psalm 119:129-136 Direct my steps by Your Word. —Psalm 119:133 Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 1-3; John 10:1-23 During the era of great sea exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries, sailing ships traversed vast, hazardous oceans and navigated dangerous coastlines. Pilots used various navigation techniques—including a book called a “rutter” (not the “rudder,” the ship’s steering device). This was a log of events kept by earlier voyagers who chronicled their encounters with previously unknown and difficult waters. By reading the sailing details in a rutter, captains could avoid hazards and make it through difficult waters. In many ways, the Christian life is like a voyage, and the believer needs help in navigating life’s perilous seas. We have that help because God has given us His Word as a “spiritual rutter.” Often when we reflect on a meaningful passage, we can recall God’s fait...

Friday, May 27, 2011 Flammable Bushes by Charles R. Swindoll Read Exodus 3:4–10 What was God's larger message to Moses in that moment? Release your imagination for a few moments. It might have included some thoughts such as these: "Moses, forty years ago you were a fine looking bush, impressed with all your own foliage. You had long, strong branches and lush, green leaves. But when your bush started burning, it was gone in less than forty-eight hours. Your grand scheme went up in flames, charring your dreams and consuming your ambitions along with it. There was nothing left, was there? That was your life, Moses. And then you ran like a scared rabbit across the border to get away from the Egyptian lynch mob. "You thought you were a choice, top-quality bush before that happened, and now you don't think you're worth much at all. Listen, man, any bush will do as long as I, the great God of all grace, am in the bush! I want to use you, Moses. Stand still, and ...

Friday, May 27, 2011 The Need for Consistency? Greg Laurie Imagine if I planted a tree in my front yard, but after awhile, I decided it would look better in my backyard. Then after a few months, I realized it would be better in the front yard. So I dig it up and plant it again in the front yard. Not only will that tree fail to flourish, but it also will struggle to just survive. Yet some people are like that with God. They decide to go to church, read their Bible, and pray regularly. They do this for a month, and then they uproot themselves and disappear for a few months. Then they come back again. Then they uproot themselves and go back to the old life again. Eventually they come back and are at it again. But they never will grow spiritually that way. Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4). That is the secret of spiritual growth: to abide. To abide means ...

May 27 Why Does God Allow Evil? Genesis 2:15-17 When Christians discuss how and when evil entered the world, theymost often point to the serpent’s temptation of Eve. But in fact, we must go back a bit further to the moment when God planted the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.By offering Adam and Eve a choice between obedience and rebellion, the Lord allowed for evil to enter His perfect creation. Now, you are probably asking the very question that plagues many people, believers and unbelievers alike: Why does a loving God allow evil? Some unsatisfactory answers have been put forward over the years—for example, that the Lord doesn’t careor that He’s helpless to prevent evil. Such responses contradict what God says about Himself in Scripture (Rom. 5:8; Ps. 47:8). The truth is, our loving Father wields absolute authority over this world. God had a purpose for letting wickedness enter the world. The Tree of Knowledge was a testing ground. Adam and Eve had to choose between rebelli...

Well Armed Take...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17 Recommended Reading Psalm 119:161-168 When the apostle Paul described the Word of God as the sword of the Spirit, he used an interesting Greek term for "word." He didn't employ the common word logos, but the word rhema. The meaning of rhema tends to emphasize the many sayings of God rather than the unified whole. All of the Bible is God's inspired and infallible Word; but often in our hand-to-hand combat in daily life, it's the specific verses and sayings of Scripture that we need. Think of the Bible itself as the armory where the individual swords and daggers are stored. Paul's point isn't that we should always carry around a large black Bible for thumping and beating the devil, but that we have individual verses and statements from Scripture unsheathed in our minds and ready to use at a moment's notice. When we memorize the many truths of the Bible and are prepa...

Thursday, May 26, 2011 May 26 When a Nation Turns Its Back on God 2 Chronicles 33:1-25 Hezekiah was a god-fearing king who brought about reformation among the Israelites. His son Manasseh, however, was an evil ruler. He had watched his father walk with God and live according to Scripture. Yet he chose to ignore the Lord. Manasseh worshipped false gods, even to the point of sacrificing his sons by fire in order to praise Molech. He practiced much evil—including witchcraft and sorcery— and led Israel astray, thereby provoking God to anger. The king, along with the people, paid a high price for his rebellion. This story illustrates the Lord’s intolerance of a nation’s disregard toward Him. Now consider our country. We, too, are a nation that pushes God aside—one that has turned away from the only true God and embraced idols. Perhaps these aren’t statues of stone, but we worship money, sports ability, fame, and reputation, to name a few. The United States of America was founded on b...

The Hole in Our Holiness Kevin DeYoung TheGospelCoalition/Blogs Topic:Holiness Scripture:2 Corinthians 5:15 Date Published:5/26/2011 Keywords:Preaching, Holiness Kevin DeYoung shares five reasons why young Christians often neglect personal holiness. I have a growing concern that younger evangelicals do not take seriously the Bible’s call to personal holiness. We are too at peace with worldliness in our homes, too at ease with sin in our lives, too content with spiritual immaturity in our churches. God’s mission in the world is to save a people and sanctify his people. Christ died “that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” (2 Cor. 5:15) We were chosen in Christ “before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” (Eph. 1:4) Christ “loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her…so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wr...

Salty Language Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:6 Recommended Reading Colossians 4:2-6 There’s an old saying: “What’s down in the well comes up in the bucket.” That’s another way of making our Lord’s point in Matthew 12:34: “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” When we have the Scriptures wrapped around our brains like a helmet—especially through Scripture memory and meditation—our minds become filled with God’s Word. It saturates our thoughts. As we fall asleep thinking on His promises and wake up with Him on our minds, it changes the patterns of our brains. We discover that we often have a word of encouragement for someone else. If we continually fill our minds with the knowledge of Christ, He will bring the needed words to mind in every situation. Every good cook knows that salt enhances the flavor of foods. It’s not just a matter of giving your meals a salty tast...

When a Nation Turns Its Back on God Thursday, May 26, 2011 Read | 2 Chronicles 33:1-25 Hezekiah was a god-fearing king who brought about reformation among the Israelites. His son Manasseh, however, was an evil ruler. He had watched his father walk with God and live according to Scripture. Yet he chose to ignore the Lord. Manasseh worshipped false gods, even to the point of sacrificing his sons by fire in order to praise Molech. He practiced much evil—including witchcraft and sorcery— and led Israel astray, thereby provoking God to anger. The king, along with the people, paid a high price for his rebellion. This story illustrates the Lord’s intolerance of a nation’s disregard toward Him. Now consider our country. We, too, are a nation that pushes God aside—one that has turned away from the only true God and embraced idols. Perhaps these aren’t statues of stone, but we worship money, sports ability, fame, and reputation, to name a few. The United States of America was founded on b...

Thursday, May 26, 2011 I'm Here by Charles R. Swindoll Read Exodus 3:4 I think one of the most important words in this verse is the very first one. When. The Hebrew word means "at the same time." That goes back to verse 3, where Moses said, "I must turn aside." When did God speak to Moses? At the same moment when Moses turned aside. Now that's simple, isn't it? Moses stopped his forward motion, stepped aside from his responsibilities for only a few brief seconds, and headed in another direction. He moved toward the event that had captured his attention. And God says, "What's it going to take? What will finally persuade you to stop in your tracks for a minute, turn aside, and consider this event in your life?" What's it going to take before you say, "I'm going to check this out. I'm going to find out what all of this might be saying to me." Moses did just that, and when he did, he came face to face with his destiny...

Thursday, May 26, 2011 The Invisible God Made Visible? Ray Pritchard Nothing is more invisible than a thought. You don’t know what I am thinking nor can I tell what you are thinking. But let a man speak and his words reveal his thoughts. Take the deepest thought and clothe it in words, and it will be visible to millions. Consider the plays of Shakespeare. They are but the thoughts of Shakespeare made visible through his words. Jesus reveals God to us. How fitting that Jesus should be called “the Word” for he communicates the very nature of God to us. John 1:18 reminds us that no one has seen the essence of God the Father, but the Son has “declared him” or “made him known” or “explained him” or “revealed him.” The underlying Greek has the idea of unfolding a truth step by step. Jesus makes known what we would never discover on our own. Without Jesus we would never know the fulness of God. We would know him as Creator and Designer of all things (Romans 1:19–20), but we would never...

Trust And Sadness May 26, 2011 — by Dave Branon Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn Read: 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 Even in laughter the heart may sorrow. —Proverbs 14:13 Bible in a year: 1 Chronicles 28-29; John 9:24-41 In early 1994, when our family found out that the US soccer team would be playing in Michigan in the World Cup, we knew we had to go. What a great time we had as we went to the Pontiac Silverdome to see the US take on Switzerland! It was one of the most remarkable events of our lives. There was just one problem. One of our four children, 9-year-old Melissa, couldn’t join us. While we enjoyed the event, it was not the same without her. Even in our joy at being there, we felt sadness because of her absence. As I think back on that day, I’m reminded that our sadness then is a little like our sadness now that Melissa is gone from this life—having died in a car accident 8 years after that game. While we cherish the help of the “God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3), eve...

Helmets and Cauliflowers And take the helmet of salvation.... Ephesians 6:17a Recommended Reading Romans 8:5-9 Each of us owns a jewel more valuable than any displayed at Cartier's or Tiffany's. It's a three-pound blob of gray pulp resembling a rotting cauliflower. This jewel is the most incredible creation in God's universe, a fabulous, living supercomputer with unfathomable circuitry and unimaginable complexity. It's the human brain--a collection of billions of neurons, each as complex as a small computer. Yet the brain is only as useful as the material it feeds on. Our thoughts should be fixed on Christ and filled with His Word. The Bible tells us to set our minds on things above, not on the things of earth (Colossians 3:2). Wearing the helmet of salvation means our minds are protected by the saving truth of Christ. We're transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2), for those who live according to the Spirit set their mind on what the Spirit...

The Real Prize May 25, 2011 — by Joe Stowell Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn Read: Ephesians 5:22-33 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her. —Ephesians 5:25 Bible in a year: 1 Chronicles 25-27; John 9:1-23 I’ve been amazed at the impact that my wife, Martie, has had on the lives of our kids. Very few roles demand the kind of unconditional, self-sacrificing perseverance and commitment as that of motherhood. I know for certain that my character and faith have been shaped and molded by my mom, Corabelle. Let’s face it, where would we be without our wives and mothers? It reminds me of one of my favorite memories in sports history. Phil Mickelson walked up the 18th fairway at the Masters Golf Tournament in 2010 after his final putt to clinch one of golf’s most coveted prizes for the third time. But it wasn’t his victory leap on the green that had an impact on me. It was when he made a beeline through the crowd to his wife, ...

Wednesday, May 25, 2011 Do Christians Need to Go to Church? Mark Dever When a person becomes a Christian, he doesn't just join a local church because it's a good habit for growing in spiritual maturity. He joins a local church because it's the expression of what Christ has made him - a member of the body of Christ. Being united to Christ means being united to every Christian. But that universal union must be given a living, breathing existence in a local church. Sometimes theologians refer to a distinction between the universal church (all Christians everywhere throughout history) and the local church (those people who meet down the street from you to hear the Word preached and to practice baptism and the Lord's Supper). Other than a few references to the universal church (such as Matthew 16:18 and the bulk of Ephesians), most references to the church in the New Testament are to local churches, as when Paul writes, "To the church of God in Corinth" or ...

Wednesday, May 25, 2011 An Ordinary Day by Charles R. Swindoll Read Exodus 3:1–3 This was the day when God decided to break a forty-year silence. Pause and let that sink in! Through four decades in Midian, we have no record of God's speaking to Moses. Not even once. The day that was going to shatter that silence, however, dawned like every other day in the wilderness. The night before, as he was sleeping out under those bright desert stars with his flock, perhaps under the looming shoulder of Sinai, he saw no meteor flash across the sky. He heard no voice. No angel tapped him on the shoulder at breakfast that morning and said, "Pay attention, Moses. God speaks today." There were no hints, no premonitions, no special signs to alert him to the fact that God Himself would break the silence that day and change his life forever. It was just your common, ordinary, garden-variety day-shift with the sheep. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else. That is the way God works....

Wednesday, May 25, 2011 Forward to a Friend Print Free Newsletters May 25 When We Ignore God James 4:17 Have you ever felt ignored? Everyone longs for love, acceptance, and attention, but perhaps a friend or close relative has shown little interest in you or what you have to say. Such treatment is hurtful and can lead to feelings of inadequacy. There’s something even worse, though, than displaying no concern for others: disregarding God. Yet all of us have done this. One way we disregard Him is by failing to obey when we know His instructions. For example, if we are feeling cornered, we can be tempted to justify a white lie, but once falsehood has left our lips, we’veignored the Lord. The same principle holds true when we sense His leading but do not follow. And unless we discipline ourselves to spend time with our Father in His Word and in prayer, we are neglecting Him again. The consequences are painful. For one thing, neglect grieves God because He is our heavenl...

Tuesday, May 24 Crossroads of Faith Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 Recommended Reading Hebrews 11:17-19 When God makes a promise, we assume it is for keeps and plan accordingly. But what if God then gives instructions that, if carried out, would invalidate the planned-for results of the prior promise He made? What does faith require? We could argue with God about the new instructions: "What about Your original promise?" Or we could try to reconcile how two contradictory actions could result in a promise kept in a new way. Abraham faced that crossroads. God told Abraham he would be the father of a great nation and gave he and Sarah a son as proof--a son from whom a nation would grow. Then God asked Abraham to offer up the son, Isaac, as a sacrifice--kill the son and the vision he represented. How could a nation grow from Abraham's seed if t...

Tuesday, May 24, 2011 The Impact of Prayer 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 Prayer is the lifeblood of an intimate relationship with the Father. But believers often have questions about its power and effectiveness. Don’t hesitate to take your queries to the Lord, dig into Scripture for answers, and seek the counsel of a trusted spiritual mentor. Prayer is too important to neglect. Will God’s plans fail if I don’t pray? God is not subservient to believers or dependent upon their prayers. The time we invest in speaking with Him involves us in the work that He is doing in our lives and in the world, but He will carry on without us.Laboring alongside the Lord is our privilege. Does my prayer (or lack thereof) impact God’s work? I believe that Scripture indicates the answer to this question is both yes and no, depending upon the situation. There are times when God’s purpose is set. He is in control and has determined the best course. In the Old Testament, the Lord often prophesied what He would...

Simplify May 24, 2011 — by Bill Crowder Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn Read: Matthew 6:25-34 Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. —Matthew 6:34 Bible in a year: 1 Chronicles 22-24; John 8:28-59 In a radio interview, a basketball superstar was asked about his knack for making the game-winning shot in crucial situations. The reporter asked how he was able to be so calm in such pressure-packed moments. His answer was that he tried to simplify the situation. “You only have to make one shot,” the player replied. One shot. That is the essence of simplifying a difficult situation. Focus only on what is in front of you right now. Don’t worry about the expectations of your coach or teammates. Simplify. Recognizing that the challenges of life can be both overwhelming and suffocating, Jesus urged us to take matters in hand by simplifying. He said, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will wor...

Tuesday, May 24, 2011 A Major in Discomfort by Charles R. Swindoll Read Exodus 3:1; Acts 7:29–30 Notice carefully how the process took place through those years of desert learning, because it is the same with you and me. God must break through several hard, exterior barriers in our lives before He can renovate our souls. His persistent goal is to break through to the inner person. As David acknowledged, "Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom" (Psalm 51:6). What are those resistant layers in our hearts, and how does He break through to that hidden part? First, He finds pride. And He uses the sandpaper of obscurity to remove it ever so gradually. Then He finds us gripped by fear—dread of our past, anxiety over our present, and terror over what may lie ahead—and He uses the passing of time to remove that fear. We learn that things aren't out of hand at all; they're in His hand. He next encounters t...

Tuesday, May 24, 2011 Are the Gospels Reliable? The ESV Study Bible In comparison with the remaining manuscripts of any other ancient Greek or Latin literature, the NT suffers from an embarrassment of riches. It is almost incomprehensible to think about the disparity. When it comes to quantity of copies, the NT has no peer. More than 5,700 Greek NT manuscripts are still in existence, ranging in date from the early second century to the sixteenth century. To be sure, the earliest ones (i.e., through the 3rd century) are all fragmentary, but they cover a substantial amount of the NT. And Greek manuscripts do not tell the whole story. The NT was translated early on into a variety of languages, including Latin, Coptic, Syriac, Armenian, Georgian, Gothic, and Arabic. All told, there are between 20,000 and 25,000 handwritten copies of the NT in various languages. Yet if all of these were destroyed, the NT text could be reproduced almost in its entirety by quotations of it in sermons, trac...

SermonAudio.com - Preacher claiming Rapture May 21 'holds on to his stuff'

Our Dependency May 23, 2011 — by Anne Cetas Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn Read: 1 John 2:24–3:3 In Him we live and move and have our being. —Acts 17:28 Bible in a year: 1 Chronicles 19-21; John 8:1-27 While enjoying the arrival of a new great-niece, I was reminded of how much work it is to take care of a newborn baby. They are needy little creations who want feeding, changing, holding, feeding, changing, holding, feeding, changing, holding. Totally unable to care for themselves, they depend on those older and wiser people surrounding them. We’re dependent children too—reliant on our Father in heaven. What do we need from Him that we can’t provide for ourselves? “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). He supplies our very breath. He also meets our needs “according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19). We need our Father for peace in our troubles (John 16:33), love (1 John 3:1), and help in time of need (Ps. 46:1; Heb. 4:16). He give...

Monday, May 23 The Shield of Faith Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Ephesians 6:16 Recommended Reading Hebrews 11:1-2 Ancient and medieval soldiers went into battle with shields the size and shape of small doors, large enough to hide behind. A phalanx of soldiers could interlock their shields in front of them or over their heads to form a wall of protection against incoming missiles. The "shield of faith" is the Christian's most important defensive weapon for this reason: If faith is defined as confidence in God and His Word, then it is faith that will defeat Satan's twisting, counterfeiting, and denial of who God is and what God has said. If a lie of Satan is like a fiery arrow coming directly at the Christian, then faith becomes the shield that keeps the arrow from finding its mark. Faith is how we walk daily (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith is how we please God (Hebrews 11:6). And fai...

Monday, May 23, 2011 A Major in Obscurity by Charles R. Swindoll Read Exodus 3:1 The desert is a place of obscurity. Moses had to cope with being a nobody. All his adolescent and adult life, he had been a big-time somebody. The spotlight followed his every move, much as the contemporary spotlight follows Britain's Prince William and Prince Harry. Every time Moses stood, people looked up expectantly. Every time he addressed them, people stopped talking and listened. Every time he strolled through the streets, heads turned. Sheep don't do that. You can say whatever you want, you can turn backflips while reciting poetry, and the flock won't be impressed at all. They'll go right on feeding their faces. As much as you and I may appreciate wool sweaters and wool socks, sheep are basically unintelligent and unresponsive animals. And Moses had the pleasure of their company for four long decades of his life. Perhaps you identify with this situation. As you read, you'r...

Monday, May 23, 2011 Why Should We Take Part in Communion? Charles Stanley Jesus’ last meal with His disciples took place during the celebration of Passover. Giving them bread, He said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Next, offering wine from a shared cup, He told them, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:26-28). Believers today observe the Lord’s Supper as a symbol of cleansing, consecration, and communion. Jesus’ blood cleanses us of sin. Starting with Adam and Eve, God required a blood sacrifice to cover transgressions (Genesis 3:21; Leviticus 17:11). But this was just a temporary solution, as the next offense required another sacrifice. Jesus was God’s permanent answer to the problem: He took upon Himself all sin - past, present, and future - and died to pay the full penalty. When a believer receives salvation, he is consecrated - or set apart to the Lord. His sin is forgiven, and he ...

Monday, May 23, 2011 Why Believers Pray Psalm 103:19-22 Recognizing that God is sovereign prompts some questions about the nature of prayer. Specifically, many people have asked me, “If the Lord is in control, why does He expect us to pray?” Prayer brings us into cooperation with what God has purposed to accomplish. He desires to involve believers in the work that He is doing in the world and in their lives. We aren’t to sit around when there is kingdom building going on—there isn’t a single scripture to support the idea that we relax while the Lord works all things to His good pleasure. In fact, the opposite is true. In John 17:11, Jesus asked God to protect the disciples by the power of His name (niv). Did He think they might lose their salvation or drift from their commitment?Absolutely not. Jesus was God in human flesh. He knew exactly what was going to happen—how these men would spread the gospel and remain faithful even unto death. Jesus was taking part in the Father’s plan ...

In the World

The Sunday School Lesson

This Week In the World

SUNDAY, MAY 22, 2011 | EASTER FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR A First Reading Acts 17:1–12 Old Testament 1 Kings 18:16–45 (Supplemental) Psalm Psalm 33 New Testament 1 Peter 2:4–10 Gospel John 14:1–12 Christian Worship Three Year Lectionary (With Supplemental Lectionary) (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009).

Saturday, May 21, 2011 Through It All by Charles R. Swindoll Read Exodus 2:16–25 You'd better believe that Moses, though tucked away in a corner of that wasteland, heard the latest news from the travelers in caravans making their way up from Egypt through the Midian desert. When Moses learned the Hebrews were crying out, his heart must have turned over within him. But unlike before, he rested and relied upon God. He didn't try to organize a rescue party. He didn't slip back into Egypt as an assassin or saboteur. Not him! He'd learned that lesson. Do you know who it is who keeps erecting all those unrealistic standards in your life? Do you know who keeps raising the bar beyond all hope of clearing it? It's you. You do. And so do I. Our Heavenly Father doesn't. The psalmist tells us, "He knows our frame. He remembers that we are dust." We think we're finished because of our failures, but God says, "No, you're just getting started. Pre...

Saturday, May 21, 2011 Forward to a Friend Print Free Newsletters May 21/22 Choosing Love over Rights Matthew 5:38-48 We talk a lot about rights these days. Yet the attention given to human entitlements hasn’t brought about corporate or personal freedom. Instead, most people are prisoners of jealousy (you have greater rights than I do!), greed (I deserve more!), or bitterness (my rights have been violated!). Instead of focusing on the privileges due us, we should take the biblical perspective of loving enemies and forgiving persecutors (Matt. 5:44). Believers lay down their rights so they can take up the cause of a holy kingdom. That doesn’t mean that we let people trample on us. Rather, we offer a proper response according to biblical principles. In short, believers should be more concerned about showing God’s love to those who do wrong than about demanding their rights. Maybe you’re thinking, But he doesn’t know how I’ve been mistreated. Indeed I do not. But what ...

Weekend, May 21 & 22 Places of Greatness: Council Chambers And all who sat in the counsel, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel. Acts 6:15 Recommended Reading Acts 7:54-60 When Stephen was dragged before the Jewish Ruling Council for his faith in Christ, the charges flew like daggers. But he never lost his poise, simplicity of faith, or glowing countenance. His words that day were memorable, but his love for Jesus was his greatest testimony. In his book, The Changed Life, Henry Drummond told of a woman of sterling character and radiant attitude who wore a locket around her neck. Her friends were curious about whose picture it contained, but the woman never opened it or revealed its contents. Only later did a friend, with permission, look inside the locket and learn the secret of her friend's moral radiance. Written within were the words, "Whom having not seen, I love." That was the secret of her beautiful life.1 Amid all life's c...

Fresh Fruit May 21, 2011 — by Cindy Hess Kasper Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn Read: Psalm 92 The righteous . . . shall still bear fruit in old age. —Psalm 92:12,14 Bible in a year: 1 Chronicles 13-15; John 7:1-27 I love the old photographs that are often printed on the obituary page of our local newspaper. A grinning young man in a military uniform and words such as: 92 years old, fought for his country in WWII. Or the young woman with sparkling eyes: 89 years young, grew up on a farm in Kansas during the Depression. The unspoken message is: “I wasn’t always old, you know.” Too often, those who have had a long life feel sidelined when they reach their later years. Psalm 92, however, reminds us that no matter how old we are, we can have a fresh and fruitful life. Men and women who have been “planted” in the rich soil of God’s vineyard will continue to “bear fruit” and be “fresh and flourishing” (v.14). Jesus promised that “he who abides in Me, and I in him,” will cont...