Daily Bread_May 22, 2013

Title: What to Do When Everything Seems to Be Going Wrong?

Text:

Exodus 14:13 (HCSB)
¹³ But Moses said to the people, "Don't be afraid. Stand firm and see the LORD's salvation He will provide for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again.

Observation:

Today I want to share with you one day where we were having one of those days when help was hard to find. My late wife wrote a journal for many years. I was reading one of those journals recently, and this account gripped me.

We had gone to the medical supply company to get a G-Tube. They did not have one, and said it would take a week to get one. That was not a good answer; because the G-Tube was my wife's only means of taking food and medicine. We needed the G-Tube today, not next week.

Rosemary was not a happy camper. As Rosemary was talking to the Customer Service person, I was talking to the Lord. The answer I got was to go to the hospital emergency room. A doctor found a G-Tube, but had no procedure to charge us for it as an outpatient. He decided to give it to us, and said this visit never took place. We had another alternative for getting the defective G-Tube replaced; we just needed a new G-Tube, and we had it. Now, this is what the Lord taught Rosemary through this frightful experience.

Upon arriving home, Rosemary wrote in her journal that she read a devotional on Exodus 14:13. The author of the devotional was Charles Spurgeon. He said, "These words contain God's command to the believer when he is reduced to great straits and brought into extraordinary difficulties. You cannot retreat, you cannot go forward, you are shut up on the right hand and on the left; what are you going to do now? The Master's words to you are: STAND FIRM".

Prayer:

Father God, I am so thankful that no matter what we are going through that we always have a refuge to which we can turn, and that refuge is in Your everlasting arms.

Father, I thank you for being a rock in a weary land, and our shelter in the time of storms. Yes, storms will come, but the child of God has this assurance; we don't have to face them alone. Father, I thank you for being for us; Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Daily Bread_May 21, 2013

Title: How to Be Great in God's Eyes

Text:

Matthew 20:26-27 (HCSB)
²⁶ It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
²⁷ and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave;

Observation:

James and John had a desire for greatness. They were not alone; the other disciples had the same desire. Jesus used the occasion to teach all of the disciples a lesson about what true greatness means.

Matthew 18:1 (HCSB)
¹ At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

Jesus used this question to teach his disciples that greatness is not about privilege, but it is rather about service. The gifts that God has given you are not to bring glory to you; it is for service to others, and to bring glory to God.

 It is not about obtaining a position above others; it is about descending to a position so that you can lift up others. Humility is the mark of a servant of God. The seed of greatness is within you; develop it by serving others.

Prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, stir the hearts of your people to use our God given gifts to build up the Body of Christ, and to bring glory to Your name. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Daily Bread_May 20, 2013

Title: The Joy of Being Free in Christ Jesus

Text:

Romans 8:1-2 (HCSB)
¹ Therefore, no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus,
² because the Spirit's law of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

Observation:

The most important question you will ever answer is this; Am I in Christ Jesus, has the son of God set me free?

Paul gives us help in knowing whether or not we are in Christ Jesus. Think about this.

Romans 8:9 (HCSB)
⁹ You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

Romans 8:11 (HCSB)
¹¹ And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through His Spirit who lives in you.

There may be groans in your present, but there is glory in your future if you are a blood bought child of God.

Romans 8:18 (HCSB)
¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, the sweetest words that any ear can hear is the word of God that speaks to the children of God, and says "You are not guilty". Oh, how I love Jesus because He first loved me. Isn't God's grace so amazing?  And all God's children said, Amen.

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Daily Bread_May 17, 2013

Title: How to Find Contentment in a Troubled World

Text:

Proverbs 19:23 (NLT)
²³ Fear of the LORD leads to life, bringing security and protection from harm.

Observation:

It is comforting to know that those who fear the Lord don't have to fear evil people in the world who seek to harm God's people. In this world we can expect to have trouble.

John 16:33 (ESV)
³³ I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

The contentment of God's people is in the Lord, and not in the world. The Prince of Peace is our peace.

· There is a place of quiet rest,
Near to the heart of God,
A place where sin cannot molest,
Near to the heart of God.

·         O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God,
Hold us, who wait before Thee,
Near to the heart of God.

Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/375#ixzz2T06yraZz

Prayer:

Father God, Sovereign Lord, I am so grateful that in this world with all of its trouble and turmoil that there is a place of quiet rest; a place where we can find contentment near to the heart of our Savior and our Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Daily Bread_May 16, 2013

Title: The Power and Benefits of Forgiving Others

Text:

Matthew 18:21-22 (NLT)
²¹ Then Peter came to him and asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?"
²² "No, not seven times," Jesus replied, "but seventy times seven!

To read the entire parable go here:

http://tinyurl.com/bgo65r6

Observation:

Before we get too hard on Peter for his question we might want to pause and think about how many times we ask for a rule; give me a rule that I can obey. If we get the principle, we don't need a rule for everything. Here is the principle to inform our attitude about forgiveness.

Romans 12:8-10 (NLT)
⁸ If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
⁹ Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.
¹⁰ Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

Ephesians 4:32 (NLT)
³² Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

If we genuinely love others we will have to learn how to forgive others; love and forgiveness are inseparable. We do ourselves a favor when we forgive others.

"He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass"

                George Herbert

Prayer:

Father God, give us a heart that is ready to forgive. Help us to love and forgive others in the manner that you have loved and forgiven us. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Daily Bread_May 15, 2013

Title: God Cares About You

Text:

Psalm 91:10-11 (NLT)
¹⁰ no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home.
¹¹ For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.

Observation:

There are many perils that we face during our earthly journey; and, the longer we live the more troubles seem to show up at our dwelling place.

It is not possible to escape trouble in this fallen world. However, we are not helpless when troubles knock on our door.

John 16:33 (NLT)
³³ I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

The goodnews for God's people is that God knows what we are going through; he knows our needs, and He cares about His people.

God has left us in this world; but, He has not left us alone. He has overcome the world, and so will His children.

John 14:1 (NLT)
¹ "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.

John 14:27 (NLT)
²⁷ "I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.

Prayer:

Father God, in the midst of all of the troubles in the world, it is comforting to know that you have overcome the world. Father, I thank you for the gift of peace of mind and heart. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Daily Bread_May 14, 2013

 Title: Worship the Lord Every Day

Text:

Psalm 59:9-10 (HCSB)
⁹ I will keep watch for You, my strength, because God is my stronghold.
¹⁰ My faithful God will come to meet me; God will let me look down on my adversaries.

Observation:

Worship is so much more helpful when it is more than a weekly or occasional practice. To be most effective, worship should occur every day.

Why not avail yourself of the power that comes from a daily meeting with God. Why not access the exhaustive source of strength that He provides His people that are regular worshippers of the Most High God?

Is there ever a time when you do not need the Lord? Then, why not worship Him every day. He is waiting to hear from you. The hymn writer said, "I need Thee Every Hour". We are the ones who need worship; not God. And to that I say, Amen.

Psalm 100:4 (HCSB)
⁴ Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so grateful for the daily access that I have to your throne room where I can find grace to help in my time of need.

Father God, I thank you for the help, hope, strength, and encouragement I get from being in Your presence. In Jesus name, Amen.

Psalm 145:1-2 (HCSB)
¹ I exalt You, my God the King, and praise Your name forever and ever.
² I will praise You every day; I will honor Your name forever and ever.

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/