Our Daily Bread -- Sweet Reminders April 10, 2016

Read: Exodus 3:7-17 Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 15-16; Luke 10:25-42 Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. —Proverbs 16:24 When the tomb of Egyptian King Tutankhamen was discovered in 1922, it was filled with things ancient Egyptians thought were needed in the afterlife. Among items such as golden shrines, jewelry, clothing, furniture, and weapons was a pot filled with honey—still edible after 3,200 years! Today we think of honey primarily as a sweetener, but in the ancient world it had many other uses. Honey is one of the only foods known to have all the nutrients needed to sustain life, so it was eaten for nutrition. In addition, honey has medicinal value. It is one of the oldest known wound dressings because it has properties that prevent infection. When God rescued the children of Israel from Egyptian captivity, He promised to lead them to a “land flowing with milk and honey” (Ex. 3:8, 17), a metaphor for abundance. When their journey was prolonged due to sin, God fed them bread (manna) that tasted like honey (16:31). The Israelites grumbled about having to eat the same food for so long, but it’s likely that God was kindly reminding them of what they would enjoy in the Promised Land. God still uses honey to remind us that His ways and words are sweeter than the honeycomb (Ps. 19:10). So then the words we speak should also be like the honey we eat—both sweet and healing. —Julie Ackerman Link Read these verses about the use of words: Proverbs 12:18; Proverbs 13:3; Ephesians 4:29; Colossians 3:8. Which truths might God want you to put into practice in your life today? Spend time counting your blessings, not airing your complaints. INSIGHT: The Israelites’ exodus from Egypt fulfilled a promise God had made to Abraham in Genesis 15:13-14. “You can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land . . . . But I will punish the nation that enslaves them, and in the end they will come away with great wealth” (nlt). Dennis Moles Share your thoughts on today’s devotional on Facebook or odb.org.

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Our mission is to make the life-changing wisdom of the Bible understandable and accessible to all. Our vision is to see people of all nations experiencing a personal relationship with Christ, growing to be more like Him, and serving in a local body of His family. To read today's Our Daily Bread online visit www.odb.org. Copyright © 2016, Our Daily Bread Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI 49555 USA. Written permission must be obtained from Our Daily Bread Ministries for any further posting or distribution. Scriptures taken from Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved.   Our Daily Bread Ministries | 3000 Kraft Ave | Grand Rapids, MI 49512 Manage Your Subscription.

Day 162 - Treasure Your Memories

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 Treasure Your Memories Day 162 Children are a gift from the Lord. You want the best for your children—long, happy lives; spiritual growth; and fulfillment. But every day is a gift from God. Even in your loss, it's good to be thankful for the time you did have together. Rate yourself: Have you been mostly (a) thankful for all the wonderful times with your child or (b) bitter about the times you won't have with your child? "I had her for almost five years," says Cindy, who lost her daughter. "I'm the lucky one. I try not to focus on what is so bad, and I try to say, 'Okay, I can't change it, so let's look at what's good or at what's not so bad." The Bible says that Jesus loves children dearly. Be assured that your child is precious to Jesus and so are you. "He took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them" (Mark 10:16). After the prayer today, spend time thinking about some joyous and humorous times you had with your child. Lord of heaven, calm my heart and help me to remember right now the precious memories I can learn from, grow from, and treasure in my heart daily. Amen. 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 -- Take Heart! April 9, 2016

Read: 2 Corinthians 4:8-18 Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 13-14; Luke 10:1-24 In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. —John 16:33 I like to watch birds at play, so years ago I built a small sanctuary in our backyard to attract them. For several months I enjoyed the sight of my feathered friends feeding and flitting about—until a Cooper’s Hawk made my bird refuge his private hunting reserve. Such is life: Just about the time we settle down to take our ease, something or someone comes along to unsettle our nests. Why, we ask, must so much of life be a vale of tears? I’ve heard many answers to that old question, but lately I’m satisfied with just one: “All the discipline of the world is to make [us] children, that God may be revealed to [us]” (George MacDonald, Life Essential). When we become like children, we begin trusting, resting solely in the love of our Father in heaven, seeking to know Him and to be like Him. Cares and sorrow may follow us all the days of our lives, but “we do not lose heart. . . . For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor. 4:16-18). Can we not rejoice, then, with such an end in view? —David Roper Lord, we do rejoice even in our struggles because we are rejoicing in who You are and Your good purposes for us. You are powerful, loving, in control, and eternal. We trust You and love You. Heaven’s delights will far outweigh earth’s difficulties. INSIGHT: Despite today’s text telling the story of Paul’s suffering as a follower of Christ, it also carries an implicit message of hope in the phrase “but not” (vv. 8-9). Though Paul suffered in a variety of ways, he was not overwhelmed by his experiences. His hope—and ours—is expressed in verse 17: “Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” Bill Crowder Share your thoughts on today’s devotional on Facebook or odb.org.

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Day 161 - Is Bitterness the Only Option?

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 Is Bitterness the Only Option? Day 161 For those who do not believe in the world to come, bitterness is indeed the only option. But for those who believe in an eternal glorious life, ruled by a God who is higher, wiser, and more powerful than all, these people have hope—the true, godly hope that they will see their loved ones again, reunited in His loving presence. To ensure this hope, you must surrender your life to Him and commit yourself to serving Him and learning more about Him. Jesus died as the payback for the sins of all people; He took the blame. But Jesus rose from the dead. He defeated death and now lives eternally so that you, too, can experience eternal life with Him. He loves you that much! Through Christ you can be reconciled to God, no matter what you have done in the past. Repent (turn from) your sins today and turn straight into His loving arms. The Bible offers a simple plan of salvation to those who come with a sincere heart: "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved" (Romans 10:9-10). Lord Jesus, I believe that You are the Son of God and that You died on the cross to save me from my sins. I turn away from my sinful ways right now and surrender myself to You. Thank you, 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 -- In Transition April 8, 2016

Read: John 11:17-27 Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 10-12; Luke 9:37-62 We will be with the Lord forever. —1 Thessalonians 4:17 People post obituary notices on billboards and concrete block walls in Ghana regularly. Headlines such as Gone Too Soon, Celebration of Life, and What a Shock! announce the passing away of loved ones and the approaching funerals. One I read—In Transition—points to life beyond the grave. When a close relative or friend dies, we sorrow as Mary and Martha did for their brother Lazarus (John 11:17-27). We miss the departed so much that our hearts break and we weep, as Jesus wept at the passing of His friend (v. 35). Yet, it was at this sorrowful moment Jesus made a delightful statement on life after death: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (v. 25). On the basis of this we give departed believers only a temporary farewell. For they “will be with the Lord forever,” Paul emphasizes (1 Thess. 4:17). Of course, farewells are painful, but we can rest assured that they are in the Lord’s safe hands. In Transition suggests that we are only changing from one situation to another. Though life on earth ends for us, we will continue to live forever and better in the next life where Jesus is. “Therefore encourage one another with these words” (v. 18). —Lawrence Darmani It is because of You, Jesus, that we have hope and are sure of a forever life. We’re grateful. For help in dealing with loss, read Life After Loss at discoveryseries.org/cb131 Because of Jesus, we can live forever. INSIGHT: Martha, Lazarus’s sister, is one of the most misunderstood characters in the New Testament. We usually think of her in the context of Luke 10:38-42, where Jesus challenges her misdirected priorities. This often leads to the conclusion that she was somehow spiritually inferior to her sister, Mary. However, Martha is the one who expresses her confidence in Christ to do something about the death of her brother (John 11:21-22). And she makes a wonderful statement on the deity of Christ, showing that she, in fact, had great depth of spiritual understanding (v. 27). Bill Crowder Share your thoughts on today’s devotional on Facebook or odb.org.

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Our mission is to make the life-changing wisdom of the Bible understandable and accessible to all. Our vision is to see people of all nations experiencing a personal relationship with Christ, growing to be more like Him, and serving in a local body of His family. To read today's Our Daily Bread online visit www.odb.org. Copyright © 2016, Our Daily Bread Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI 49555 USA. Written permission must be obtained from Our Daily Bread Ministries for any further posting or distribution. Scriptures taken from Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved.   Our Daily Bread Ministries | 3000 Kraft Ave | Grand Rapids, MI 49512 Manage Your Subscription.