Topic > Christian Living > Gratefulness & Thankfulness >
No Peas!
When our kids were young, one of them bluntly said “no” when we passed him some peas for dinner. To which we replied, “No what?” We hoped he would say, “No, thank you.” Instead he said, “No peas!” That led to a discussion about the importance of good manners. In fact, we had similar discussions on numerous occasions.
Beyond good manners—which are external—our Lord reminds us that we are to have a heart of gratitude. Scripture contains dozens of reminders that expressing gratitude is of primary importance in our relationship with God. Psalm 118 begins and ends with the exhortation to…
Who We Are
In her autobiography, Corrie ten Boom described her and her sister Betsie’s horrific time in a Nazi concentration camp in the early 1940s. On one occasion they were forced to take off their clothes during an inspection. Corrie stood in line feeling defiled and forsaken. Suddenly, she remembered that Jesus had hung naked on the cross. Struck with wonder and worship, Corrie whispered to her sister, “Betsie, they took His clothes too.” Betsie gasped and said, “Oh, Corrie, . . . and I never thanked Him.”
It is easy for us to live thanklessly in a world that is full of…
5 Things I Learned When I Couldn’t Find A Job
I was unemployed for almost a whole year. Over that period, I faced rejection after rejection, so much so that I grew accustomed to disappointment. At the time, I kept asking myself this question: what am I going to do with my life?
A Fly’s Reminder
When I first began working in the small office I now rent, the only inhabitants were a few mopey flies. Several of them had gone the way of all flesh, and their bodies littered the floor and windowsills. I disposed of all but one, which I left in plain sight.
That fly carcass reminds me to live each day well. Death is an excellent reminder of life, and life is a gift. Solomon said, “Anyone who is among the living has hope” (Eccl. 9:4). Life on earth gives us the chance to influence and enjoy the world around us. We can…
Silent Helper
The discovery of penicillin revolutionized health care. Prior to the 1940s, bacterial infections were often fatal. Since then, penicillin has saved countless lives by killing harmful bacteria. The men who recognized its potential and developed it for widespread use won a Nobel Prize in 1945.
Long before the discovery of penicillin, other silent killers were at work saving lives by destroying bacteria. These silent killers are white blood cells. These hard workers are God’s way of protecting us from disease. No one knows how many invasions they have stopped or how many lives they have saved. They receive little recognition for…
A Devoted Heart
A successful Christian businessman shared his story with us at church. He was candid about his struggles with faith and abundant wealth. He declared, “Wealth scares me!”
He quoted Jesus’ statement, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:25 niv). He cited Luke 16:19-31 about the rich man and Lazarus and how in this story it was the rich man who went to hell. The parable of the “rich fool” (Luke 12:16-21) disturbed him.
“But,” the businessman stated, “I’ve learned a lesson…
After I long day I came home in the rain, to find the windows wide open and the beds soaked! I took my anger out on God - and apologized! - and sat down frustrated at the computer to relax a little before diving into more work. "Lord, I don't know what you want me to do. I can't pay my bills, my marriage is over, I think I have an ulcer, and now I don't even know where to go online to relax!" Hoping He would guide my fingers, I angrily plunked on 4 keys without looking. The Bing search yielded a radio station first, and then Our Daily Bread Ministries. The video devotional was about Jesus calming the sea. Thank you, LORD JESUS. And thank you, Our Daily Bread.
ReadHow to be thankful for things that go wrong
When blessing come our way, we’re grateful to God. But what about when things go wrong in life? On “Discover the Word” today, our hosts explain why we should thank God for adversity. Because it is often a precursor to God’s greater plan!
A Survivor’s Thoughts
After a 71-year-old South Korean woman was rescued during the tragic sinking of a ferry boat, she struggled with survivor’s guilt. From her hospital bed she said she couldn’t understand how it could be right for her to have lived through an accident that had taken the lives of many who were so much younger. She also regretted not knowing the name of the young man who had pulled her out of the water after she had given up hope. Then she added, “I want to buy him a meal at least, or hold his hand, or give him a…
Who was and wasn’t Mary Magdalene?
Of all the characters in the Easter story, none are more misunderstood or misjudged than Mary Magdalene. Join us today in our biblical investigation to discover who this important disciple of Jesus really was.
God’s Clocks
Ivisit two elderly women from time to time. One has no financial worries, is fit for her age, and lives in her own home. But she can always find something negative to say. The other is crippled with arthritis and rather forgetful. She lives in simple accommodations, and keeps a reminder pad so she won’t forget her appointments. But to every visitor to her tiny apartment, her first comment is always the same: “God is so good to me.” Handing her the reminder pad on my last visit, I noticed that she had written the day before “Out to lunch…
Our Daily Bread has been an inspiration in my life as well as the inmates I supervised in the state prison for almost 20yrs. I am a Shift Supervisor for Securitas USA, at Mclaren Hospital in Pontiac. I was put on suspension last week Thursday for no reason given. I prayed, fasted, cried out to Jesus,"What have I done, I cant think of anything to warrant this". For days I went through this, then I received a call to meet with the head of Securitas, Mohammad Rashid, in Dearborn Mi. today at 10:00am. I was told that there were many complaints against me, all of which were proven to be lies on me except one. I was suspended for 5 days pending this meeting, for the one that was true and admitted to. I put several Our Daily Breads in our employee break room, as well as, copies I asked for of, "The Promise of Easter". I walked into this meeting not knowing if I had a job, and walked out with a promotion to Site Supervisor at a different location, a $1/hr raise, and no more 12hr. weekends, but Sat/Sun. off!!! Only our Lord Jesus Christ can do this! The only thing in my file now is, a counseling memo for distributing religious materials. I told Mohammad I would gladly take that memo to my grave. He said, "someone gave me a chance, now I want to give you one". Praise Jesus!! He is worthy of all praise. Stew
William Stewart
ReadLearn The Cost
We gave our 2-year-old son a pair of new boots recently. He was so happy that he didn’t take them off until it was bedtime. But the next day he forgot all about the boots and put on his old sneakers. My husband said, “I wish he knew how much things cost.”
Each morning, as I do my morning devotions, I recall the fall of 2011 as my wife Margie lay wasting away at the Springhill Village nursing home.
We were both saved in 1967 but while she stayed close to the Lord, I fell away and drifted, on and off, for many years. But, when Margie became too ill to do her daily devotions, I would help, and eventually do them for her using Our Daily Bread. Then I would try to find Bible passages for her that related to her life.
She was such a great witness, even as she lay suffering and dying she would still praise the Lord every day.
When she would fall asleep during or after devotions, I found I was still reading our Bible. It was as though I could not get enough. God used that experience and Our Daily Bread to draw me back to Him! I cannot even write this without having to choke back tears.
I still use ODB in my morning devotions, and always will. Thank you so much for all you do to bring God’s word with understanding to people everywhere.
David Larimer
12075 S. Carlisle St.
Terre Haute, IN 47802
P.S. You have my permission to edit this and use it (or toss it) any way you wish.
ReadFor Our Health
According to a prominent Duke University Medical Center researcher, “If thankfulness were a drug, it would be the world’s best-selling product with [health benefits] for every major organ system.”
