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OUR DAILY BREAD September 1, Wednesday FIX UP TIME Bible in a Year: Psalms 135–136   1 Corinthians 12 Be made new in the attitude of your minds. Ephesians 4:23 Today's Scripture & Insight: Ephesians 4:20–32 It was time to give the inside of our home a fresh, new look. But just as I’d begun prepping a room for painting, our state government announced it would be halting the sale of many home improvement items due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As soon as I heard the announcement, I rushed to the store and purchased the essential materials. You simply can’t remodel without the proper supplies. Paul had a bit of a remodeling project in mind when he wrote  Ephesians 4 . But the changes he was talking about went far beyond superficial alterations. Even though trusting Jesus as Savior makes us a new creation, there’s still some ongoing work the Spirit needs to do. And it takes time and work for Him to accomplish “true righteousness and holiness” ( Ephesians 4:24 ). The pres...

OUR DAILY BREAD August 31, Tuesday SHARING JESUS Bible in a Year: Psalms 132–134   1 Corinthians 11:17–34 Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Isaiah 12:4 Today's Scripture & Insight: Isaiah 12 Shortly after Dwight Moody (1837–99) came to faith in Christ, the evangelist resolved not to let a day pass without sharing God’s good news with at least one person. On busy days, he’d sometimes forget his resolution until late. One night, he was in bed before he remembered. As he stepped outside, he thought,  No one will be out in this pouring rain . Just then he saw a man walking down the street. Moody rushed over and asked to stand under his umbrella to avoid the rain. When granted permission, he asked, “Have you any shelter in the time of storm? Could I tell you about Jesus?” Moody embodied a readiness to share how God saves us from the consequences of our sins. He obeyed God’s instructions to the Israelites to proclaim His n...

OUR DAILY BREAD August 30, Monday MERCY AND GRACE Bible in a Year: Psalms 129–131   1 Corinthians 11:1–16 [Josiah] began to seek the God of his father David. 2 Chronicles 34:3 Today's Scripture & Insight: 2 Chronicles 34:1–8 A stately sunflower stood on its own in the center of a lonely stretch of national highway, just a few feet from the fast lane. As I drove past, I wondered how it had grown there with no other sunflowers visible for miles. Only God could create a plant so hardy it could thrive so close to the roadway in the gray gravel lining the median. There it was, thriving, swaying gently in the breeze and cheerfully greeting travelers as they hurried by. The Old Testament tells the story of a faithful king of Judah who also showed up unexpectedly. His father and grandfather had enthusiastically served other gods; but after Josiah had been in power for eight years, “while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David” ( 2 Chronicles 34:3 ). He sent wo...

OUR DAILY BREAD August 29, Sunday THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL Bible in a Year: Psalms 126–128   1 Corinthians 10:19–33 I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. Romans 1:15 Today's Scripture & Insight: Romans 1:1–7, 14–17 Ancient Rome had its own version of “the gospel”—the good news. According to the poet Virgil, Zeus, king of the gods, had decreed for the Romans a kingdom without end or boundaries. The gods had chosen Augustus as divine son and savior of the world by ushering in a golden age of peace and prosperity. This, however, wasn’t everyone’s idea of good news. For many it was an unwelcome reality enforced by the heavy hand of the emperor’s army and executioners. The glory of the empire was built on the backs of enslaved people who served without legal personhood or property at the pleasure of masters who ruled over them. This was the world in which Paul introduced himself as a servant of Christ ( Romans 1:1 ). Jesus—how Paul had once hated that name. ...

OUR DAILY BREAD August 28, Saturday A GREAT ENDING Bible in a Year: Psalms 123–125   1 Corinthians 10:1–18 Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. Revelation 22:12 Today's Scripture & Insight: Revelation 22:12–21 My husband and son surfed television channels looking for a movie to watch and discovered that their favorite movies were already in progress. As they enjoyed watching the final scenes, the search became a game. They managed to find eight of their favorite flicks. Frustrated, I asked why they wouldn’t just choose a movie to watch from the beginning. My husband laughed. “Who doesn’t love a great ending?” I had to admit I too look forward to the endings of my favorite books or movies. I’ve even skimmed through my Bible and focused on my favorite parts or the stories that seem more palatable and easier to understand. But the Holy Spirit uses all of God’s reliable and life-applicable words to transform ...

OUR DAILY BREAD August 27, Friday THE ULTIMATE HEALER Bible in a Year: Psalms 120–122   1 Corinthians 9 [Hezekiah] broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made. 2 Kings 18:4 Today's Scripture & Insight: Numbers 21:4–9; 2 Kings 18:4–7 When a medical treatment began to provide relief for a family member’s severe food allergies, I became so excited that I talked about it all the time. I described the intense process and extolled the doctor who had created the program. Finally, some friends commented, “We think God should always get the credit for healing.” Their statement made me pause. Had I taken my eyes off the Ultimate Healer and made the healing into an idol? The nation of Israel fell into a similar trap when they began to burn incense to a bronze snake which God had used to heal them. They’d been performing this act of worship until Hezekiah identified it as idolatry and “broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made” ( 2 Kings 18:4 ). Several centuries earlier, a g...

OUR DAILY BREAD August 26, Thursday HEEDING THE WARNINGS Bible in a Year: Psalm 119:89–176   1 Corinthians 8 Whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. Matthew 10:33 Today's Scripture & Insight: Matthew 10:1–7, 32–33 When a pickpocket tried to pilfer my property while I was on vacation in another country, it wasn’t a surprise. I’d read warnings about the danger of subway thieves, so I knew what to do to protect my wallet. But I never expected it to happen. Fortunately, the young man who grabbed my wallet had slippery fingers, so it fell to the floor where I could retrieve it. But the incident reminded me that I should have heeded the warnings. We don’t like to dwell on warnings because we think they’ll get in the way of enjoying life, but it’s imperative to pay attention to them. For instance, Jesus gave us a clear warning while sending out His disciples to proclaim God’s coming kingdom ( Matthew 10:7 ). He said, “Whoever acknowledges me before ...