Ministry > Our Daily Bread
What Comes Next?
On the night of April 3, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King gave his final speech, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop.” In it, he hints that he might not live a long life. He said, “We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. . . . [But] I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” The…
Read Psalm 27:1–8
The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall, I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? —Psalm 27:1
Some young children have trouble falling asleep at night. My daughter explained one reason for that one evening as I turned to leave her bedroom. “I’m afraid of the dark,” she said.…
Cheerful Givers
About six years ago, my wife received a small rebate from something she’d purchased. It wasn’t something she had expected, it just showed up in the mail. About the same time, a good friend shared with her the immense needs of women in another country, entrepreneurial-minded women trying to better themselves by way of education and business. However, as is often the case, their first barrier was financial.
My wife took that rebate and made a micro-loan to a ministry devoted to helping these women. When the loan was repaid, she simply loaned again, and again, and so far has made…
Praying Like Jesus
Every coin has two sides. The front is called “heads” and, from early Roman times, usually depicts a country’s head of state. The back is called “tails,” a term possibly originating from the British ten pence depicting the raised tail of a heraldic lion.
Like a coin, Jesus’s prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, possesses two sides. In the deepest hours of His life the night before He went to die on a cross, Jesus prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup, yet not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). When Jesus says, “take this cup,” that’s…
Inheritance Isn’t Earned
“Thanks for dinner, Dad,” I said as I set my napkin on the restaurant table. I was home on a break from college and, after being gone for a while, it felt strange to have my parents pay for me. “You’re welcome, Julie,” my dad replied, “but you don’t have to thank me for everything all the time. I know you’ve been off on your own, but you’re still my daughter and a part of the family.” I smiled. “Thanks, Dad.”
In my family, I haven’t done anything to earn my parents’ love or what they do for me. But my…
The Storms of life
Scripture reference: Mark 4:35–5:1
'You may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith . . . may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.' ~ 1 Peter 1:6-7
In the book of Mark we read about a terrible storm. The disciples were with Jesus on…
Being Realistic
Scripture Reference: Psalm 27
'Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You' ~ Psalm 56:3
Few of us are traveling to heaven in a state of freedom from all fear. Who can honestly testify that they always practice this verse: “In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid”? (Psalm 56:11). We do trust, and yet we may be troubled…
'Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You'. ~ Psalm 56:3
No believer is immune to panic or terror. Christians caught in natural disasters or bombing attacks have spoken about the panic that seized them when it occurred. They say that anyone who claims he wasn’t afraid at the time is either a liar or a fool.
It is not a sin to…
The Voice of Faith
Scripture reference: Habakkuk 3:16-19
'Though the fig tree does not bud . . . yet I will rejoice in the Lord.' ~ Habakkuk 3:17-18
The news was numbing. The tears came so quickly that she couldn’t fight them. Her mind raced with questions, and fear threatened to overwhelm her. Life had been going along so well, when it was abruptly interrupted and forever changed…
Unseen Realities
Scripture reference :2 Kings 6:8–17
'Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.”'~ 2 Kings 6:17
Stephen Cass, an editor at Discover magazine, was determined to investigate some of the invisible things that are part of his daily life. As he walked toward his office in New York City, he thought: “If I could see radio waves, the top of the Empire…
Dial 91:1
Scripture reference : Psalm 91:1-16
'He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.' ~Ps 91:1
Dialling the number 100 in India connects you to the police. 101 connects you to the fire station while 102 can get you an ambulance. Most people know that dialling 911 in the United States will…
Blessed Bread
When our oldest child became a teenager, my wife and I gave her a journal that we’d been writing in since her birth. We’d recorded her likes and dislikes, quirks and memorable one-liners. At some point the entries became more like letters, describing what we see in her and how we see God at work in her. When we gave it to her on her thirteenth birthday, she was mesmerized. She’d been given the gift of knowing a crucial part of the origins of her identity.
In blessing something as common as bread, Jesus was revealing its identity. What it—along with…
Fruit Juice
A thrift-store bargain, the lamp seemed perfect for my home office—the right color, size, and price. Back at home, however, when I plugged in the cord, nothing happened. No light. No power. No juice.
No problem, my husband assured me. “I can fix that. Easy.” As he took the lamp apart, he saw the trouble immediately. The plug wasn’t connected to anything. Without wiring to a source of power, the “perfect” pretty lamp was useless.
The same is true for us. Jesus told His disciples. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you,…
The Would-Be Woodcutter
One year, when I was in college, I cut, stacked, sold, and delivered firewood. It was one of the hardest jobs I’ve ever done. So I have a good deal of empathy for the hapless logger in the 2 Kings 6 story.
Elisha’s school for prophets had prospered, and their meeting place had become too small. Someone suggested they go into the woods, cut logs, and enlarge their facilities. Elisha agreed and accompanied the workers. Things were going remarkably well until someone’s axhead fell into the water.
Some have suggested that Elisha simply probed in the water with his stick until he…
'At that time, I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over' - Daniel 10:2-3
With many nations around the world facing curfew, India too is now faced with unprecedented change due to the Corona Pandemic – A curfew that is going to…
