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OUR DAILY BREAD July 9, Friday GROWING IN GOD’S GRACE Bible in a Year: Job 38–40 Acts 16:1–21 Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge. 2 Peter 1:5 Today's Scripture & Insight: 2 Peter 1:3–11 The English preacher Charles H. Spurgeon (1834–1892) lived life “full throttle.” He became a pastor at age nineteen—and soon was preaching to large crowds. He personally edited all of his sermons, which eventually filled sixty-three volumes, and wrote many commentaries, books on prayer, and other works. And he typically read six books a week! In one of his sermons, Spurgeon said, “The sin of doing nothing is about the biggest of all sins, for it involves most of the others. . . . Horrible idleness! God save us from it!” Charles Spurgeon lived with diligence, which meant he “[made] every effort” (2 Peter 1:5) to grow in God’s grace and to live for Him. If we’re Christ’s followers, God can instill in us that same desire and capacity to grow more like Jesus,...

OUR DAILY BREAD June 14 THE POWER OF GOD Bible in a Year: Ezra 9–10 Acts 1 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:2 Today's Scripture & Insight: Psalm 121 Rebecca and Russell’s doctors told them they couldn’t have children. But God had other ideas—and ten years later Rebecca conceived. The pregnancy was a healthy one; and when the contractions started, the couple excitedly rushed to the hospital. Yet the hours of labor grew long and more intense, and Rebecca’s body still wasn’t progressing enough for delivery. Finally, the doctor decided she needed to perform an emergency C-section. Fearful, Rebecca sobbed for her baby and herself. The doctor calmly assured her, saying, “I will do my best, but we’re going to pray to God because He can do more.” She prayed with Rebecca, and fifteen minutes later, Bruce, a healthy baby boy, was born. That doctor understood her dependence on God and His power. She recognized that although she had the training and ski...

OUR DAILY BREAD June 12, Saturday HE KNOWS YOUR NAME Bible in a Year: Ezra 3–5   John 20 I have summoned you by name; you are mine. Isaiah 43:1 Today's Scripture & Insight: Isaiah 43:1–7 After breaking with our longtime church, my husband and I reunited with the fellowship after three long years.  But how would people treat us? Would they welcome us back? Love us? Forgive us for leaving?  We got our answer on a sunny Sunday morning. As we walked through the big church doors, we kept hearing our names. “Pat! Dan! It’s so great to see you!” As children’s author Kate DiCamillo wrote in one of her popular books, “Reader, nothing is sweeter in this sad world than the sound of someone you love calling your name.” The same assurance was true for the people of Israel. We had chosen a different church for a time, but they had turned their backs on God. Yet He welcomed them back. He sent the prophet Isaiah to assure them, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned y...

OUR DAILY BREAD May 29, Saturday DEATH ZONE Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 7–9 John 11:1–29 But David remained in Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 11:1 Today's Scripture & Insight: 2 Samuel 11:1–6, 12–15 In 2019, a climber saw his last sunrise from the peak of Mount Everest. He survived the dangerous ascent, but the high altitude squeezed his heart, and he passed away on the trek down. One medical expert warns climbers not to think of the summit as their journey’s end. They must get up and down quickly, remembering “they’re in the death zone.” David survived his dangerous climb to the top. He killed lions and bears, slew Goliath, dodged Saul’s spear and pursuing army, and conquered Philistines and Ammonites to become king of the mountain. But David forgot he was in the death zone. At the peak of his success, as “the Lord gave David victory wherever he went” (2 Samuel 8:6), he committed adultery and murder. His initial mistake? He lingered on the mountaintop. When his army set out for new cha...

OUR DAILY BREAD May 28, Friday RAINBOW HALO Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 4–6 John 10:24–42 My rainbow . . . will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Genesis 9:13 Today's Scripture & Insight: Genesis 9:12–17 On a hike in the mountains, Adrian found himself above some low-lying clouds. With the sun behind him, Adrian looked down and saw not only his shadow but also a brilliant display known as a Brocken spectre. This phenomenon resembles a rainbow halo, encircling the shadow of the person. It occurs when the sunlight reflects back off the clouds below. Adrian described it as a “magical” moment, one that delighted him immensely. We can imagine how similarly stunning seeing the first rainbow must have been for Noah. More than just a delight to his eyes, the refracted light and resulting colors came with a promise from God. After a devastating flood, God assured Noah, and all the “living creatures” who’ve lived since, that “never again [would] the waters become a ...

OUR DAILY BREAD May 14, Friday TAKEN IN Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 19–21   John 4:1–30 People who . . . lack understanding are like the beasts that perish. Psalm 49:20 Today's Scripture & Insight: Psalm 49:5–20 My old dog sits by my side and stares off into space. A penny for her thoughts. One thing I know she  isn’t  thinking about is dying because dogs don’t “understand.” They don’t think about future things. But we do. No matter our age or health or wealth, we at some point think about dying. That’s because we, unlike beasts, have “understanding,” according to  Psalm 49:20 . We know that we will die, and there’s nothing we can do about it. “No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them” (v. 7). No one has enough money to buy himself or herself out of the grave. But there is a way out of the finality of death: “God will redeem me from the realm of the dead,” insists the psalmist. “He will surely take me to himself” (v. 15; literally, “He ...

OUR DAILY BREAD May 13, Thursday ABUNDANT WATERS Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 17–18   John 3:19–36 Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink. Exodus 17:6 Today's Scripture & Insight: Exodus 17:1–7 In Australia, a report outlined “a grim story” of extreme drought, heat, and fire. The account described a horrific year with only minuscule rainfall, turning parched brush into tinder. Raging fires torched the countryside. Fish died. Crops failed. All because they didn’t have a simple resource we often take for granted—water, which we all need in order to live. Israel found itself in its own terrifying dilemma. As the people camped in the dusty, barren desert, we read this alarming line: “There was no water for the people to drink” ( Exodus 17:1 ). The people were afraid. Their throats were dry. The sand sizzled. Their children suffered thirst. Terrified, the people “quarreled with Moses,” demanding water (v. 2). But what could Moses do? He could only go to G...

OUR DAILY BREAD May 4 FUELED BY FIRE Bible in a Year: 1 Kings 16–18 Luke 22:47–71 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us . . . . But even if he does not . . . we will not serve your gods. Daniel 3:17–18 Today's Scripture & Insight: Daniel 3:13–18, 25–27 When two firefighters, weary and sooty, stopped at a restaurant for breakfast, the waitress recognized the men from the news and realized they’d spent the night battling a warehouse fire. To show her appreciation, she wrote a note on their bill, “Your breakfast is on me today. Thank you . . . for serving others and for running into the places everyone else runs away from. . . . Fueled by fire and driven by courage, what an example you are.”  In the Old Testament, we see an example of courage in the actions of three young men: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3). Instead of obeying the mandate to bow down to a statue of the Babylonian king, these young men courageously showed thei...

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 ...

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 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 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 ...

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 ...

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...

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 th...

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 a...

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 ...