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OUR DAILY BREAD May 1, Saturday DWELLING IN OUR HEARTS Bible in a Year: 1 Kings 10–11 Luke 21:20–38 I pray that . . . he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Ephesians 3:16–17 Today's Scripture & Insight: Ephesians 3:14–21 Sometimes the words of children can jolt us into a deeper understanding of God’s truth. One evening when my daughter was young, I told her about one of the great mysteries of the Christian faith—that God through His Son and Spirit dwells in His children. As I tucked her into bed, I said that Jesus was with her and in her. “He’s in my tummy?” she asked. “Well, you haven’t swallowed Him,” I replied. “But He’s right there with you.” My daughter’s literal translation of Jesus being “in her tummy” made me stop and consider how when I asked Jesus to be my Savior, He came and took residence within me. The apostle Paul referred to this mystery when he prayed that the Holy Spirit w

OUR DAILY BREAD April 30, Thursday MILK COMES FIRST Bible in a Year: 1 Kings 8–9   Luke 21:1–19 Solid food is for the mature. Hebrews 5:14 Today's Scripture & Insight: Hebrews 5:11–6:2 In the seventh century, what is now called the United Kingdom was many kingdoms often at war. When one king, Oswald of Northumbria, became a believer in Jesus, he called for a missionary to bring the gospel to his region. A man named Corman was sent, but things didn’t go well. Finding the English “stubborn,” “barbarous,” and uninterested in his preaching, he returned home frustrated. “I am of the opinion,” a monk named Aidan told Corman, “that you were more severe to your unlearned hearers than you ought to have been.” Instead of giving the Northumbrians “the milk of more easy doctrine,” Corman had given them teaching they couldn’t yet grasp. Aidan went to Northumbria, adapted his preaching to the people’s understanding, and thousands became believers in Jesus. Aidan got this sensitive approach t

OUR DAILY BREAD April 29, Thursday WORKING TOGETHER Bible in a Year: 1 Kings 6–7 Luke 20:27–47 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied. Exodus 18:23 Today's Scripture & Insight: Exodus 18:13–23 Joe worked more than twelve hours a day, often without taking breaks. Starting a charitable business demanded so much time and energy that he had little left to offer his wife and children when he got home. After the toll of chronic stress landed Joe in the hospital, a friend offered to organize a team to help him. Though he dreaded giving up control, Joe knew he couldn’t keep up his current pace. He agreed to trust his friend—and God—as he delegated responsibilities to the group of people they chose together. A year later, Joe admitted that the charity and his family could never have prospered if he’d refused the help God had sent him. God didn’t design people to thrive without the support of a loving communit

OUR DAILY BREAD April 28, Wednesday CUDDLING IN Bible in a Year: 1 Kings 3–5   Luke 20:1–26 Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. Psalm 116:7 Today's Scripture & Insight: Psalm 116:1–7 “Daddy, will you read to me?” my daughter asked. It’s not an unusual question for a child to make of a parent. But my daughter is eleven now. These days, such requests are fewer than they were when she was younger. “Yes,” I said happily, and she curled up next to me on the couch. As I read to her (from  The Fellowship of the Ring ), she practically melted into me. It was one of those glorious moments as a parent, when we feel perhaps just an inkling of the perfect love our Father has for us and His deep desire for us to “cuddle in” to His presence and love. I realized in that moment that I’m a lot like my eleven-year-old. Much of the time, I’m focused on being independent. It’s so easy to lose touch with God’s love for us, a tender and protective love that  Psalm 116  d

OUR DAILY BREAD April 27, Tuesday LEARNING FROM FOOLISHNESS Bible in a Year: 1 Kings 1–2   Luke 19:28–48 The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left. Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense. Ecclesiastes 10:2–3 Today's Scripture & Insight: Ecclesiastes 10:1–14 A man walked into a convenience store in Wollongong, Australia, put a $20 bill on the counter and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he got from the drawer?  Fifteen dollars. We all act foolishly at times—even if, unlike this thief, we’re trying to do the right thing. The key is how we learn from our foolish behavior. Without correction, our poor choices can become habits, which will negatively shape our character. We’ll become “fools . . . [who]

OUR DAILY BREAD April 26, Monday AT OUR WORST Bible in a Year: 2 Samuel 23–24   Luke 19:1–27 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2 Today's Scripture & Insight: Ephesians 4:20–32 “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt  me .” This sentence, pronounced by Mr. Darcy in Jane Austen’s  Pride and Prejudice,  is the reason I will never forget that novel and its impact on me. Because after reading that one sentence, I firmly decided I would never like Mr. Darcy. But I was wrong. Like Austen’s character Elizabeth Bennet, I had the humbling experience of slowly—and quite reluctantly—changing my mind. Like her, I’d been unwilling to get to know Darcy’s character as a whole; I preferred to hang onto my reaction to one of his worst moments. After finishing the novel, I wondered who I’d made that same mistake with in the real world. What friendships had I missed because I wouldn’t let go of a snap judgment? At the heart of fa

OUR DAILY BREAD April 25, Sunday A TREE TO HEAL Bible in a Year: 2 Samuel 21–22   Luke 18:24–43 Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from? Genesis 3:11 Today's Scripture & Insight: Genesis 3:1–11 For $300,000, you can buy a new McLaren 720S sports car. The vehicle comes with a V8 engine pumping 710 horsepower—considerably more than you’ll need for your morning commute. Of course, you might be tempted to use all that power. One Virginia driver learned his McLaren was so “fast” it could go from an upscale showroom to the scrap heap in just twenty-four hours! One day after buying the car, he slammed it into a tree. (Thankfully, he survived.) Just three chapters into the story of the Bible, we learn how a different bad choice and a tree marred God’s good creation. Adam and Eve ate from the one tree they were to leave alone ( Genesis 3:11 ). The story had barely begun, and paradise was cursed (vv. 14–19). Another tree would play a role in undoing this curse—t

OUR DAILY BREAD April 24, Saturday BETTER WITH GOD Bible in a Year: 2 Samuel 19–20   Luke 18:1–23 Wisdom and power are his. Daniel 2:20 Today's Scripture & Insight: Daniel 1:11–16; 2:19–20 On her college volleyball team, my granddaughter learned a winning principle. When the ball came her way, no matter what, she could “better the ball.” She could make a play that left her teammates in a better situation—without throwing tantrums, blaming, or making excuses. Always make the situation better. That was Daniel’s response when he and three Hebrew friends were taken into captivity by Babylon’s king Nebuchadnezzar. Although they were given pagan names and ordered to take three years of “training” in the enemy’s palace, Daniel didn’t rage. Instead, he asked permission not to defile himself in God’s sight by eating the king’s rich food and wine. As this intriguing Bible story shows, after consuming nothing but vegetables and water for ten days ( Daniel 1:12 ), Daniel and his friends “l

OUR DAILY BREAD April 23, Friday SEEING WITH NEW EYES Bible in a Year: 2 Samuel 16–18   Luke 17:20–37 [Don’t look] to your own interests but each of you to the interests of . . . others. Philippians 2:4 Today's Scripture & Insight: Philippians 2:1–5 A video game, one that’s become a cultural phenomenon, places a hundred players on a virtual island to compete until one player remains. Whenever a player eliminates you from the contest, you can continue to watch through that player’s vantage point. As one journalist notes, “When you step into another player’s shoes and inhabit their point of view, the emotional register . . . shifts from self-preservation to . . . communal solidarity. . . . You begin to feel invested in the stranger who, not too long ago, did you in.” Transformation happens whenever we open ourselves to see another’s experience, looking beyond our own vision and encountering another’s pain, fear, or hopes. When we follow Jesus’ example and “do nothing out of selfi

OUR DAILY BREAD April 22, Thursday THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT Bible in a Year: 2 Samuel 14–15   Luke 17:1–19 [God] comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble. 2 Corinthians 1:4 Today's Scripture & Insight: 2 Corinthians 1:3–7 Radamenes was just a kitten when his owner dropped him off at an animal shelter, thinking he was too ill to recover. The kitten was nursed back to health and adopted by the vet. He then became a fulltime resident at the shelter and now spends his days “comforting” cats and dogs—just out of surgery or recovering from an illness—through his warm presence and gentle purr. That story is a small picture of what our loving God does for us—and what we can do for others in return. He cares for us in our sickness and struggles, and He soothes us with His presence. The apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians calls our God, “the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort” (1:3). When we are discouraged, depressed, or mistreated, He’s there fo

OUR DAILY BREAD April 21, Wednesday DIFFICULT PEOPLE Bible in a Year: 2 Samuel 12–13   Luke 16 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1 Today's Scripture & Insight: Proverbs 15:1–7, 18 Lucy Worsley is a British historian and TV presenter. Like most people in the public eye, she sometimes receives nasty mail—in her case, over a mild speech impediment that makes her  r’ s sound like  w ’s. One person wrote this: “Lucy, I’ll be blunt: Please try harder to correct your lazy speech or remove  r’ s from your scripts—I couldn’t sit through your TV series because it made me so annoyed. Regards, Darren.” For some people, an insensitive comment like this might trigger an equally rude reply. But here’s how Lucy responded: “Oh Darren, I think you’ve used the anonymity of the internet to say something you probably wouldn’t say to my face. Please reconsider your unkind words! Lucy.” Lucy’s measured response worked. Darren apologized and vowed not to se

OUR DAILY BREAD April 20, Tuesday JESUS’ PROMISE TO YOU Bible in a Year: 2 Samuel 9–11   Luke 15:11–32 He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever. John 14:16 Today's Scripture & Insight: John 14:15–21, 25–27 Jason wailed as his parents handed him over to Amy. It was the two-year-old’s first time in the nursery while Mom and Dad attended the service—and he was  not  happy. Amy assured them he’d be fine. She tried to soothe him with toys and books, by rocking in a chair, walking around, standing still, and talking about what fun he could have. But everything was met with bigger tears and louder cries. Then she whispered five simple words in his ear: “I will stay with you.” Peace and comfort quickly came. Jesus offered His friends similar words of comfort during the week of His crucifixion: “The Father . . . will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth” ( John 14:16–17 ). After His resurrection He gave them this

OUR DAILY BREAD April 19, Monday QUARANTINED BY FEAR Bible in a Year: 2 Samuel 6–8   Luke 15:1–10 Seek his kingdom. Luke 12:31 Today's Scripture & Insight: ⁸8⁸8⁸⁹ Luke 12:22–34 In 2020, an outbreak of the coronavirus left the world in fear. People were quarantined, countries were put under lockdown, flights and large events were canceled. Those living in areas with no known cases still feared they might get the virus. Graham Davey, an expert in anxiety, believes that negative news broadcasts are “likely to make you sadder and more anxious.” A meme that circulated on social media showed a man watching the news on TV, and he asked how to stop worrying. In response, another person in the room reached over and flipped off the TV, suggesting that the answer might be a shift in focus! Luke 12  gives us some advice to help us stop worrying: “Seek his kingdom” (v. 31). We seek God’s kingdom when we focus on the promise that His followers have an inheritance in heaven. When we face diff

OUR DAILY BREAD April 18, Sunday HARD GROUND AND TENDER MERCY Bible in a Year: 2 Samuel 3–5   Luke 14:25–35 Praise be to the Lord. Ruth 4:14 Today's Scripture & Insight: Ruth 4:13–22 When James was just six years old, his older brother David died tragically in an ice-skating accident. It was the day before David’s fourteenth birthday. In the years that followed, James tried his best to console his mother, Margaret, who in her deep grief sometimes reminded herself that her elder son would never have to face the challenges of growing up. In James Barrie’s fertile imagination, decades later that same idea would burgeon into inspiration for a much-loved children’s story character who never aged: Peter Pan. Like a flower pushing its way through pavement, good emerged even from the hard ground of unthinkable heartache. How comforting is the thought that God, in an infinitely more creative way, is able to bring good out of our most difficult circumstances. A beautiful illustration of

OUR DAILY BREAD April 17, Saturday WINDOWS Bible in a Year: 2 Samuel 1–2   Luke 14:1–24 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace. Isaiah 55:12 Today's Scripture & Insight: Isaiah 55:6–13 Near the foothills of the Himalayas, a visitor noticed a row of houses without windows. His guide explained that some of the villagers feared that demons might sneak into their homes while they slept, so they built impermeable walls. You could tell when a homeowner began to follow Jesus because he put in windows to let in the light. A similar dynamic may take place in us, though we might not see it quite that way. We live in scary, polarizing times. Satan and his demons instigate angry divisions that split families and friends. I often feel like hiding behind my walls. But Jesus wants me to cut in a window. Israel sought refuge in higher walls, but God said their security lay with Him. He reigns from heaven, and His word governs all ( Isaiah 55:10–11 ). If Israel would return to Him, Go

O UR DAILY BREAD April 16, Friday EXTENDING MERCY Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 30–31   Luke 13:23–35 If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Luke 17:3 Today's Scripture & Insight: Luke 17:1–5 Reflecting on how she forgave Manasseh, the man who killed her husband and some of her children in the Rwandan genocide, Beata said, “My forgiving is based on what Jesus did. He took the punishment for every evil act throughout all time. His cross is the place we find victory—the only place!” Manasseh had written to Beata from prison more than once, begging her—and God—for forgiveness as he detailed the regular nightmares that plagued him. At first she could extend no mercy, saying she hated him for killing her family. But then “Jesus intruded into her thoughts,” and with God’s help, some two years later, she forgave him. In this, Beata followed Jesus’ instruction to His disciples to forgive those who repent. He said that even if they “sin ag

OUR DAILY BREAD April 15 THE BAGGAGE ACTIVITY Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 27–29   Luke 13:1–22 Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. Leviticus 19:34 Today's Scripture & Insight: Leviticus 19:32–34 Karen, a middle school teacher, created an activity to teach her students how to better understand one another. In “The Baggage Activity” students wrote down some of the emotional weights they were carrying. The notes were shared anonymously, giving the students insight into each other’s hardships, often with a tearful response from their peers. The classroom has since been filled with a deeper sense of mutual respect among the young teens, who now have a greater sense of empathy for one another. Throughout the Bible, God has nudged His people to treat one another with dignity and show empathy in their interaction with others ( Romans 12:15 ). As early in the history of Israel as the book of Leviticus, God pointed the Israelites toward empathy—especially in their deal

OUR DAILY BREAD April 14, Wednesday LIVE LIKE IT’S MORNING Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 25–26   Luke 12:32–59 The fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth. Ephesians 5:9 Today's Scripture & Insight: Ephesians 5:1–9 When I have to travel across time zones by air, I try various remedies to avoid jet lag. I think I’ve tried them all! On one occasion, I decided to adjust my in-flight eating to the time zone where I was heading. Instead of eating dinner with the rest of the passengers, I kept watching a movie and tried to fall asleep. The hours of elective fasting were difficult, and the breakfast that came right before we landed left much to be desired. But living “out of sorts” with those around me  worked.  It jolted my body clock into a new time zone. Paul knew that if believers in Jesus were to truly reflect Him in their lives, they would need to live out of step with the world around them. They “were once darkness” but now they were to live as “childre

OUR DAILY BREAD April 13 THE FROSTING OF FAITH Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 22–24   Luke 12:1–31 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 2 Timothy 1:5 Today's Scripture & Insight: 2 Timothy 1:1–5 Hand in hand, my grandson and I skipped across the parking lot to find a special back-to-school outfit. A preschooler now, he was excited about  everything , and I was determined to ignite his happiness into joy. I’d just seen a coffee mug with the inscription, “Grandmas are moms with lots of frosting.” Frosting equals fun, glitter, joy! That’s my job description as his grandma, right? That . . . and more. In his second letter to his spiritual son Timothy, Paul calls out his sincere faith—and then credits its lineage both to Timothy’s grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice ( 2 Timothy 1:5 ). These women lived out their faith in such a way that Timothy also came to believe in Je

OUR DAILY BREAD April 12, Monday Serving the Least Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 19–21   Luke 11:29–54 The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40 Today's Scripture & Insight: Matthew 25:31–40 His name is Spencer. But everybody calls him “Spence.” He was a state track champion in high school; then he went on to attend a prestigious university on a full academic scholarship. He lives now in one of America’s largest cities and is highly respected in the field of chemical engineering. But if you were to ask Spence his greatest achievements to date, he wouldn’t mention any of those things. He would excitedly tell you about the trips he makes to Nicaragua every few months to check in on the kids and teachers in the tutoring program he helped establish in one of the poorest areas of the country. And he’d tell you how enriched his life has been by serving them. “The least of these.” It’

O UR DAILY BREAD April 11, Sunday IMPERFECT PLANS Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 17–18   Luke 11:1–28 Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21 Today's Scripture & Insight: Proverbs 19:20–23 I was exploring a library on the bottom floor of a new community center when an overhead crash suddenly shook the room. A few minutes later it happened again, and then again. An agitated librarian finally explained that a weight-lifting area was positioned directly above the library, and the noise occurred every time someone dropped a weight. Architects and designers had carefully planned many aspects of this state-of-the-art facility, yet someone had forgotten to locate the library away from all the action. In life as well, our plans are often flawed. We overlook important considerations. Our plans don’t always account for accidents or surprises. Although planning helps us avoid financial shortfalls, time crunches, and health issues, even