Our Daily Bread -- The Blacksmith and the King April 3, 2016

Read: Exodus 31:1-11 Bible in a Year: Judges 19-21; Luke 7:31-50 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. —Colossians 3:23 In 1878, when Scotsman Alexander Mackay arrived in what is now Uganda to serve as a missionary, he first set up a blacksmith forge among a tribe ruled by King Mutesa. Villagers gathered around this stranger who worked with his hands, puzzled because everyone “knew” that work was for women. At that time, men in Uganda never worked with their hands. They raided other villages to capture slaves, selling them to outsiders. Yet here was this foreign man at work forging farming tools. Mackay’s work ethic and life resulted in relationships with the villagers and gained him an audience with the king. Mackay challenged King Mutesa to end the slave trade, and he did. In Scripture, we read of Bezalel and Oholiab, who were chosen and gifted by God to work with their hands designing the tent of meeting and all its furnishings for worship (Ex. 31:1-11). Like Mackay, they honored and served God with their talent and labor. We tend to categorize our work as either church work or secular. In truth, there is no distinction. God designs each of us in ways that make our contributions to the kingdom unique and meaningful. Even when we have little choice in where or how we work, God calls us to know Him more fully—and He will show us how to serve Him—right now. —Randy Kilgore Father, grant me an awareness of my place in Your work. Help me to see You at work in the people and places where I spend my time. God will show us how to serve Him—wherever we are. INSIGHT: The tabernacle was to function as God’s dwelling place where the Israelites could come before His presence (Ex. 25:8). It was built according to God’s blueprint. He especially appointed two craftsmen—Bezalel and Oholiab (31:1-6)—and gave them the ability to lead the work and teach others (35:30-35). God spoke of a special empowering of Bezalel: God “filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills” (31:3). God also provided the skilled workers needed to build the tabernacle and gave each of them the ability to make everything exactly as He wanted it made (vv. 6,11; 36:1). Sim Kay Tee Share your thoughts on today’s devotional on Facebook or odb.org.

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Day 155 - Bible Study

365 daily emails to help you through the grieving process Grief support groups: Click here to find a GriefShare group near you. If you would like to find a group for a friend or relative, try our Search Page. Want to read ahead or resend a previous daily email? Click Here Bible Study Day 155 "When Christians are afraid about what lies ahead," says Dr. Richard Bewes, "the great panacea is to read the Scriptures. Read the Scriptures day by day. It's when you lose your anchorage in the Scriptures that you lose your hold upon life itself and upon the future." With God, there is no need to fear. You can live each day on His sure foundation, certain about your life's direction and your future. This assurance is found in the Bible. Listen to the benefits of reading the Scriptures: "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb." (Psalm 19:7-10) God's promises are for you. Your life can be transformed through Christ Jesus and through His Word. Seek His truth in the Holy Scriptures, and start living a new and abundant life right now. Let His Word be your anchor. Lord God, forgive me for not faithfully reading the Bible. Help me to make a commitment and to stick with it. Amen. Grieving with Hope This GriefShare-based book contains short, topical chapters addressing issues that grieving people face but are often hesitant to mention to others; it gently guides people to determine whether they're grieving in a way that leads to hope and ultimate healing. Look for Grieving with Hope by Samuel Hodges and Kathy Leonard at a local or online bookstore or at griefshare.org/hope. If you would like to recommend these daily emails to a friend, please click here and choose one of the options under Share. For more information about GriefShare, including how to sign up for these daily emails, please click here. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2003-2013 by The Church Initiative, Inc., All rights reserved. No part of this material may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without explicit permission in writing from Church Initiative. You subscribed to this daily email through www.griefshare.org. We value your privacy! We will never give, sell, rent, or otherwise share your email or personal information with any other organization — EVER. To remove this email address from further mailings Click Here while connected to the internet. If you have any problems or concerns, please contact dailyemailsupport@griefshare.org. GriefShare 250 S. Allen Rd. Wake Forest, NC 27587 (800) 395-5755

Our Daily Bread -- Too Close April 2, 2016

Read: Proverbs 3:1-18 Bible in a Year: Judges 16-18; Luke 7:1-30 In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. —Proverbs 3:6 I grew up in Oklahoma where severe weather is common from early spring through the end of summer. I recall one evening when the sky boiled with dark clouds, the TV weather forecaster warned of an approaching tornado, and the electricity went out. Very quickly, my parents, my sister, and I climbed down the wooden ladder into the storm cellar behind our house where we stayed until the storm passed by. Today “storm chasing” has become a hobby for many people and a profitable business for others. The goal is to get as close as possible to a tornado without being harmed. Many storm chasers are skilled forecasters with accurate information, but I won’t sign up for a tornado tour anytime soon. In moral and spiritual areas of my life, however, I can foolishly pursue dangerous things God tells me to avoid because of His love for me, all the time believing I won’t be harmed. A wiser approach is to read the book of Proverbs, which contains many positive ways to elude these snares of life. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding,” Solomon wrote. “In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Prov. 3:5-6). Our Lord is the master of the adventure of living, and following His wisdom leads us to fullness of life. —David McCasland Father, Your wisdom leads us along the path of life. Help us to follow Your guidance today. How can you trust the Lord today? Share with us at odb.org Every temptation is an occasion to trust God. INSIGHT: The Hebrew word translated “teaching” in Proverbs 3:1 is torah. Torah is most often translated “law” in the Old Testament, but it can also be translated “instruction” or “guidance.” The father in Proverbs 3 is not just advising his son to obey rules. He is urging him to internalize loving and helpful instructions: “Do not forget my teaching [instruction, guidance], but keep my commands in your heart.” Dennis Moles Share your thoughts on today’s devotional on Facebook or odb.org.

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Day 154 - An Active Prayer Life

365 daily emails to help you through the grieving process Grief support groups: Click here to find a GriefShare group near you. If you would like to find a group for a friend or relative, try our Search Page. Want to read ahead or resend a previous daily email? Click Here An Active Prayer Life Day 154 How can you know what God is saying to you if you only take time to listen every once in a while? Or if your prayers are mechanical and rushed? Or if the motivations behind your prayers are entirely self-serving? Pray and listen. Daily, hourly. Pray and listen for His voice every morning when you wake up, throughout the day as you fulfill your daily tasks, and when you turn off the light at night. First Thessalonians 5:17 instructs you to "pray continually." What does that mean to you? The task may seem frustratingly impossible, but, praise God, it doesn't have to be so. "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express" (Romans 8:26). God's Spirit lives within those who know Jesus as Lord and Savior. He knows your struggles, and He also knows the sincere desires of your heart. Praying continually in the Spirit is as easy as breathing. When you breathe in, whisper a prayer—a praise, a thank-you, an endearment, a cry, a question, or a fear. Take a deep, relaxing breath right now and pray: Holy Spirit, fill me; move through me; intercede with the Father for me; open my ears and quiet my heart to hear You today. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Through a Season of Grief The daily email messages you are receiving are also available in a book format. Purchase as a gift for a friend or buy a print copy for yourself. Through a Season of Grief by Bill Dunn and Kathy Leonard is available at online and local bookstores or at griefshare.org/devotional. If you would like to recommend these daily emails to a friend, please click here and choose one of the options under Share. For more information about GriefShare, including how to sign up for these daily emails, please click here. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2003-2013 by The Church Initiative, Inc., All rights reserved. No part of this material may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without explicit permission in writing from Church Initiative. You subscribed to this daily email through www.griefshare.org. We value your privacy! We will never give, sell, rent, or otherwise share your email or personal information with any other organization — EVER. To remove this email address from further mailings Click Here while connected to the internet. If you have any problems or concerns, please contact dailyemailsupport@griefshare.org. GriefShare 250 S. Allen Rd. Wake Forest, NC 27587 (800) 395-5755

Our Daily Bread -- The Gallery of God April 1, 2016

Read: Psalm 100 Bible in a Year: Judges 13-15; Luke 6:27-49 The Lord is good and his love endures forever. —Psalm 100:5 Psalm 100 is like a work of art that helps us celebrate our unseen God. While the focus of our worship is beyond view, His people make Him known. Imagine the artist with brush and palette working the colorful words of this psalm onto a canvas. What emerges before our eyes is a world—“all the earth”—shouting for joy to the Lord (v. 1). Joy. Because it is the delight of our God to redeem us from death. “For the joy that was set before Him,” Jesus endured the cross (Heb. 12:2 nkjv). As our eyes move across the canvas we see an all-world choir of countless members singing “with gladness” and “joyful songs” (Ps. 100:2). Our heavenly Father’s heart is pleased when His people worship Him for who He is and what He has done. Then we see images of ourselves, fashioned from dust in the hands of our Creator, and led like sheep into green pastures (v. 3). We, His people, have a loving Shepherd. Finally, we see God’s great and glorious dwelling place—and the gates through which His rescued people enter His unseen presence, while giving Him thanks and praise (v. 4). What a picture, inspired by our God. Our good, loving, and faithful God. No wonder it will take forever to enjoy His greatness! —Dave Branon Great God of heaven, thank You for life, for joy, for protection, and for promising us a future with You forever. Help us to live with thoughts of Your greatness always on our hearts and minds. Nothing is more awesome than to know God. INSIGHT: Bible scholar J. J. S. Perowne says this about the purpose of Psalm 100: “If we are right in regarding Psalms 93-99 as forming one continuous series, one great prophetic oratorio, whose title is ‘Jehovah is King,’ and through which there runs the same great idea, this Psalm may be regarded as the doxology which closes the strain. We find lingering in it notes of the same great harmony. It breathes the same gladness; it is filled with the same hope, that all nations shall bow down before Jehovah, and confess that he is God.” Psalm 100 expresses this great desire—that the world that is separated from God might know Him and His greatness. Bill Crowder Share your thoughts on today’s devotional on Facebook or odb.org.

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