Beyond Calm Acceptance (1 Peter 1:3)

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In a television interview, a prominent Hollywood actress said that she eagerly anticipated her death because this would bring her “oblivion.” I could hardly believe my ears! Why would anyone be pleased with passing into oblivion? Are we all nothing but cosmic accidents? Does nothing we think or feel or say or do have any lasting meaning or value?

Some people are able to convince themselves that oblivion is something to look forward to. But it seems to me that most unbelievers either entertain a vague hope of an afterlife, or they avoid thinking about it.

Distressed that the subject of death and dying is becoming taboo in our culture, Bill and Judith Moyers produced a TV series showing that an honest discussion helps many die with calm acceptance. But no mention was made of faith in Christ or His resurrection. Therefore, it gave no example of anyone dying triumphantly.

When Stephen was being stoned, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, received my spirit” (Acts 7:59). Only those who believe on Jesus are able to die with joy and eager anticipation. Because Jesus died for our sins and rose from the grave, we who believe on Him can die with a living hope. And that goes far beyond a calm acceptance. – Herbert Vander Lugt

When by the gift of His infinite grace

I am accorded in heaven a place,

Just to be there and to look on His face

Will through the ages be glory for me. – Gabriel

Death is the last chapter in time but the first chapter in eternity.

• July 31, Vol. 18, Our Daily Bread

We are not Alone (2 Kings 6:16)

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In the subway in New York City, two youths moved through an underground train and robbed a well-dressed man who appeared to be asleep in his seat. Suddenly the whole car came alive! The victim turned out to be a decoy, and the passengers who jumped up from their seats were police officers. Like lightning, they converged on the young pair and made the arrest. Although these officers were “unseen” at first, they provided ample security for riders on that subway car.

We get a similar picture of protection in the 6^th chapter of 2 Kings. In a manner more dramatic than what happened on that New York subway, Elisha’s servant saw why his master could be so confident in the face of what seemed to be an impending disaster. We read that “the Lord opened the eyes of the young man” and he saw an amazing sight (v. 17). God had arrayed an invisible army “of horses and chariots of fire” around Elisha, ready to protect the Israelites from the Syrian army.

Divine protection is not just an Old Testament provision. As God’s children, we can put our faith in His mighty defense as we do His will. We can therefore move ahead with confidence, eager to fight the foe. Even when the battle seems to be too great and it appears that we face defeat, we must still trust the Lord. We can encourage ourselves by thinking of Elisha’s message to his servant, “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” We are not alone! – Martin R. De Haan II

I have promised you My presence

With you everywhere you go;

I will never, never leave you

As you travel here below. – Rose

We may face situations beyond our reserves, but never beyond God’s resources.

• July 30, 1986, Our Daily Bread

Listen: God Is Speaking (2 Timothy 3:16)

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The apostle Peter wrote two books of the New Testament, yet he realized that he was merely an instrument through which God could transmit His message to man. Peter told his readers that “prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).

In the book Thoughts for the Quiet Hour, Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote, “The Bible is the writing of the living God.” He went on to explain that though “Moses was employed to write his histories with his fiery pen, God guided that pen. It may be that David touched his harp and let sweet psalms of melody drop from his fingers, but God moved his hands over the living strings of his golden harp. Solomon can canticles of love and gave forth words of consumable wisdom, but God directed his lips and made the preacher eloquent. If I follow the thundering Nahum, when his horses plow the waters; or Habakkuk, when he sees the tents of Cushan in affliction; if I read Malachi, when the earth is burning like an oven; if I turn to the smooth page of John, who tells of love; or the rugged chapters of Peter, who speaks of fire devouring God’s enemies; if I turn aside to Jude, who launches forth anathemas on the foes of God – everywhere I find God speaking. It is God’s voice, not man’s.”

Yes, “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” But more than that, it is actually God Himself speaking to us. Let’s listen! – Richard W. De Haan

Your thoughts are here, my God,

Expressed in words divine,

The utterance of heavenly lips

In every sacred line. – Bonar

The Bible is the only book whose Author is always present when it is read.

• July 29, 1987, Our Daily Bread

A Mark of Blessing (Luke 6:26)

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If we are faithful in serving the Lord, the devil’s hosts will at times attack us with all the power at their disposal. As a result, we may be called on to suffer for Christ’s sake. Veteran missionary Russell Eversole was greatly encouraged by the beloved Bible teacher William Pettingill. After Ebersole told him of the disappointments and trials he had faced on the foreign field, Pettingill said, “Brother, that means you’re on the right track. If you never experience any opposition or setbacks in the Lord’s work, you ought to get down on your knees and ask Him to show what you’re doing wrong!”

When the bishop of Madras was touring India, he was introduced to a young slave girl who was an outstanding witness for the Lord. By her quiet persistence in telling others of Jesus and His love, she had won many to Christ. As the bishop looked at her, he saw that her face, neck, and arms were badly scarred. She had received many beatings for her faithful testimony. With tears in his eyes he asked, “Child, how could you bear this brutality?” Somewhat surprised, she replied, “Aren’t you glad if you can suffer for Christ, sir?” Her humble response touched him and left a profound impression on him.

Believer, if “all men speak well of you,” you may be comprising in some way. But if you are suffering for Jesus’ sake, “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad” (Matthew 5:12). Facing opposition in doing God’s will is a mark of blessing, and it promises eternal reward. – Henry G. Bosch

If everyone speaks well of you,

It surely would be wise

To check each facet of your life

And weed out compromise. – H. G. Bosch

If you have the smile of God, sooner or later you can expect the frown of men.

• July 28, 1987, Our Daily Bread

Man-Made Hail (Ephesians 4:31)

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The hail produced by a violent thunderstorm can devastate crops, injure animals, pound people, damage aircraft, and dent cars. These ice balls come in all sizes, from a tiny pellet to the size of a grapefruit. Hailstones are formed when a cloud is blown by a violent updraft, causing to rise into the freezing zone in the atmosphere. At that point, ice builds up around the nucleus of a snow pellet. The higher and longer the thunderstorm tosses the particles around, the larger and more destructive the hailstones become.

The hail of a thundercloud and a person’s angry words have a lot in common. Under certain circumstances, violent winds of bitterness and hurt feelings can carry the level of anger higher and higher.

In Ephesians 4, the writer spoke of the damage that anger can do. He indicated that repressing it and allowing it to seethe in our hearts gives the devil an opportunity to work in our lives (v. 27). He also said that bitterness, wrath, and anger grieve the Holy Spirit (vv. 30-31). Verse 32 tells how to control this powerful emotion before it creates “man-made hail.” Paul said, “… forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Immediate forgiveness is the key to controlling anger.

Harboring bitter feelings and nurturing grudges only produces verbal storms that cause injury. So deal with your anger quickly – before it grows into a hailstorm of hurt. – Kurt E. De Haan, Guest Staff Writer

Anger, malice, and ill will

Can leave a stain of sorrow;

Ask forgiveness by His grace

Before it is tomorrow. – H. G. Bosch

A grudge is one thing that does not get better when it is nursed.

• July 27, 1984, Our Daily Bread

A Word of Correction (Galatians 6:1)

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We all have spiritual blind spots – areas where we lack discernment or knowledge. For this reason, we need the gentle rebuke of others. A word of correction can help us grow as well as keep us from unnecessarily hurting or offending others.

In his book Improving Your Serve, Charles Swindoll told of a gentle rebuke he received from seminary professor Bruce Waltke. They were visiting the famed First Church of Christ Scientist in Boston. An elderly lady was leading the tour, and she began to tell them of the doctrinal beliefs of her church – especially their belief about no judgment in the life to come. Waltke then said to her quietly, “But, Ma’am, doesn’t it say somewhere in the Bible, ‘it is appointed unto man once to die and after that, the judgment’?” Swindoll reported, “I stood back thinking, ‘Go for it, Bruce. Now we’ve got her where we want her!’” But when the lady suggested they move on, Waltke agreed. Swindoll said he couldn’t believe it. His friend had let her off the hook. So he grabbed Waltke and whispered, “Hey, why didn’t you nail the lady?” Waltke calmly replied, “But Chuck, that wouldn’t have been fair. That wouldn’t have been very loving either – now would it?” Swindoll commented, “Wham! The quiet rebuke left me reeling.” He said he never forgot that moment. He had learned an unforgettable lesson.

May we too be sensitive to the correction of the Lord through the gentle admonition of others. – Dave C. Egner

Lord, we can’t see each wrong we do,

So send us help from Christians who

Will notice faults we do not see

And tell us of them tactfully. – Branon

Our critics are the unpaid guardians of our souls. – Corrie ten Boom

• July 26, 1988, Our Daily Bread

Rub Out the Line! (Colossians 3:13)

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Friendships are sometimes destroyed by such small misunderstandings! A hasty word, a misplaced comment, or a thoughtless deed may wither the most beautiful flower of fellowship. Robert Louis Stevenson‘s story of two maiden sisters in Edinburgh illustrates an extreme example. The sisters lived comfortably in a rather large one-room apartment. But one day they had a disagreement. As time passed, their anger grew, and they stopped speaking to each other. Instead of resolving their dispute or one of them moving out, they both stubbornly stayed in the apartment – all the while refusing to communicate. According to Stevenson, “A chalk line drawn upon the floor separated their two domains; it bisected the doorway and the fireplace so that each could go out and in and do her cooking without violating the territory of the other. So, for years, they coexisted in a hateful silence…. In the dark watches, each could hear the breathing of her enemy. Never did four walls look down upon an uglier spectacle.”

How foolish! But there is an even uglier spectacle – two children in the family of God, the household of faith, separated by quarreling. Has this happened to you? Are you having difficulty with a fellow believer? If so, the Father’s heart is grieved, and the honor of the Savior’s name is tarnished. But what can you do? Start by reminding yourself how much Christ has forgiven you. Then take the initiative. With a forgiving spirit, start rubbing out the line that separates you.  – Paul R. Van Gorder

Oh, what joy and peace we forfeit

When forgiveness we withhold;

Fellowship with God is broken,

And the heart grows hard and cold. – D. J. De Haan

Love not only gives, it also forgives.

• July 25, 1985, Our Daily Bread

All Kinds of Weather (Psalm 148:7-8)

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The psalmist brings glory to the Lord by exhorting all of creation to lift its voice in praise to His name (148:7-12). He recognized that the powerful elements of weather, such as hail and snow and great storms, are sent by God to do His bidding. Not only do they nourish and sustain life, but they also mold and shape it.

I was thinking about this as I looked at a gigantic beech tree near our cabin in Northern Michigan. I’ve long admired the way its trunk rises thick and tall to the ceiling of the forest, and how its limbs, twisted yet sturdy, reach out in all directions. The weather, doing God’s bidding, has made the tree what it is. A merciless summer sun has beaten down on it. Then, in the shortening days of autumn when its leaves turn brilliant yellow, the cold strong winds of Lake Superior have whipped its branches and left them bare. The winter ice coats its limbs, and it must carry the weight of heavy northern snows. Then come the spring rains, and the wild thunderstorms that toss the tree to and for with mighty gusts.

I see a parallel between that tree and myself. The storms and winds and hail that fulfill God’s Word are like the stresses and pressures of my own life. They too are sent to do God’s bidding, to mature and strengthen me, and to make me what I am.

Lord, help us to see that all kinds of “weather” – summer sun and winter storms – come from You. Shape us into Your likeness as we yield to You. Amen. – David C. Egner

Good timber does not grow in ease;

The stronger wind, the tougher trees;

By sun and cold, by rain and snows,

In tree or man, good timber grows. – Malloch

God will take care of what you go through; you take care of how you go through it.

• July 24, 1987, Our Daily Bread

Sin of the Skin (James 2:1)

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I imagine that most people would hate to be accused of racial bias. They like to think of themselves as being fair and open-minded. But it’s not always like that, is it? Even Christians, because of their hesitancy to follow Christ’s example, have had a long history of ethnic problems. In the first century, the Jewish believers were reluctant to accept their Gentile brothers. In recent years, racial discrimination has been a dominant issue. Prejudice can run so deep that it sometimes takes a tragedy to make one see how wrong it is to discriminate on the basis of physical differences.

A newspaper article told of a truck driver who learned the hard way how bigoted he was. He had no use for blacks – until one saved his life. It was shortly after 1 a.m. when his tanker truck flipped over and burst into flames. A week later, he lay in his hospital bed crying openly, for he was looking into the face of a black man who had used his own coat and his bare hands to smother the flames that had made him a human torch. This was one white who with tears of appreciation learned to see through skin pigment.

As Christians, we shouldn’t have to wait for such a tragedy to open our eyes. We need to look to Calvary. There our Lord gave His life, not only for us but for those of every language, race, and nation. The broad scope of His sacrifice shows His concern toward every human being. With His own nail-pierced hands He extends His love to all.

Have mercy on us, Lord, if we have fanned the fire of prejudice You died to put out. – Martin R. De Haan II

Join hands, then, brothers of the faith,

Whate’er your race may be;

Who serves my Father as a son

Is surely kin to me. – Oxenham

Prejudice is a lazy man’s substitute for thinking.

• July 23, 1984, Our Daily Bread

Tapping God’s Power (Luke 5:16)

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The famous composer Franz Joseph Haydn was meeting with a company of noted musicians. In the course of their conversation, one of them asked him how he was always able to regain his inner strength so quickly after a period of intense exertion. He replied, “There’s really no great mystery about it. I just go aside and pray. This simple remedy has never failed.” Believers who talk to God when they need spiritual renewal find that in turning to Him they tap the reservoir of all strength – the Almighty Himself.

Christ has set us a blessed example in meeting the pressures of life, for no one ever resorted to prayer so constantly and fervently as He did. For instance, in the gospel of Mark we note that after a tiring day of teaching, healing the sick, and casting out demons, Jesus must have slept only briefly. Then, long before dawn, He went to a solitary place to commune with His heavenly Father so that He might renew His spiritual vigor. If the sinless Son of God felt it necessary to prepare His heart at the beginning of another strenuous day, how much more needful for us as faltering human beings to take the time to pray before facing our responsibilities!

No one who realizes life’s complexities and demands should ever attempt anything without asking the Lord’s guidance. We can be confident that “those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31).  – Henry G. Bosch

Strength and courage for the weary,

God’s own hand to guide each day,

This and more is for the asking

When you meditate and pray. – Anon.

He stands best who kneels most.

• July 22, 1987, Our Daily Bread