Daily Bread

Inside Out · Bored

RE: Daily Bread

Inside Out · Bored

Jesus Eyes

March 15, 2013 by Randy Kilgore

Read: Mark 5:1-20 [Jesus] was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Matthew 9:36

We were in line at the ice cream store when I noticed him. His face bore the marks of too many fightsa crooked nose and some scars. His clothes were rumpled, though clean. I stepped between him and my children, using my back to erect a wall.

The first time he spoke, I didnt hear him clearly and so just nodded to acknowledge him. I scarcely made eye contact with him. Because my wife wasnt with me, he thought I was a single parent and gently said, Its hard raising them alone, isnt it? Something in his tone made me turn to look at him. Only then did I notice his children, and I listened to him tell me how long his wife had been gone. His soft words contrasted with his hard exterior.

I was duly chastened! Once again I had failed to see beyond outward appearances. Jesus encountered people whose outward appearance could have turned Him away, including the demon-possessed man in our reading for today (Mark 5:1-20). Yet He saw the heart-needs and met them.

Jesus never fails to see us with love, even though we have scars of sin and a rumpled nature that shows in our stutter-step faithfulness. May God help us to replace our haughtiness with Jesus heart of love.

Father, may the focus of our lives never disrupt
our ability to see others with the same eyes that
Jesus sees them. Grant us Your heart.
May we yearn to introduce others to You.

If you look through the eyes of Jesus, youll see a needy world.

Inside Out · Bored

Who Owns My Lips?

March 17, 2013 by David C. McCasland

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord. Psalm 19:14

The difference between a compliment and flattery is often motive. A compliment offers genuine appreciation for a quality or action seen in another person. The goal of flattery is usually self-advancement through gaining the favor of someone else. Compliments seek to encourage; flattery attempts to manipulate.

In Psalm 12, David lamented his society in which godly, faithful people had disappeared and been replaced by those who speak deceitfully with flattering lips and a double heart (v.2). They had said, With our tongue we will prevail; our lips are our own; who is lord over us? (v.4).

The question Who owns my lips? is a good one to ask ourselves when were tempted to use insincere praise to get what we want. If my lips are my own, I can say what I please. But if the Lord owns my lips, then my speech will mirror His words, which the psalmist described as pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times (v.6).

Perhaps a good way to show who owns our lips would be to begin each day with Davids prayer from another psalm: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer (Ps. 19:14).

A careless word may kindle strife,
A cruel word may wreck a life;
A timely word may lessen stress,
A loving word may heal and bless. Anon.

He who guards his mouth preserves his life. Proverbs 13:3

lc335 · Bored

IO help me out with this. We are watching the History channels presentation: The Bible. In the show they depict Samson as an African. I do not remember reading, or being taught in where in the bible that Samson was an African, or a black man. Am I wrong?

Inside Out · Bored

First Things First

March 19, 2013 by David H. Roper

1 Chronicles 28:5-10 Know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind. 1 Chronicles 28:9

When our granddaughter Sarah was very young, she told us she wanted to be a basketball coach like her daddy when she grew up. But she couldnt be one yet, she said, because first she had to be a player; and a player has to be able to tie her shoelaces, and she couldnt tie hers yet!

First things first, we say. And the first thing in all of life is to know God and enjoy Him.

Acknowledging and knowing God helps us to become what we were meant to be. Here is King Davids counsel to his son Solomon: Know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind (1 Chron. 28:9).

Remember, God can be known. He is a Person, not a logical or theological concept. He thinks, wills, enjoys, feels, loves, and desires as any person does. A. W. Tozer writes, He is a person and can be known in increasing degrees of intimacy as we prepare our hearts for the wonder of it. Ah, theres the rub: We must prepare our hearts.

The Lord is not playing hard to know; those who want to know Him can. He will not foist His love on us, but He does wait patiently, for He wants to be known by you. Knowing Him is the first thing in life.

He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joys we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known.
C. Austin Miles © Renewal 1940. The Rodeheaver Company

The thought of God staggers the mind but to know Him satisfies the heart.

Inside Out · Bored

lc335 wrote:
IO help me out with this. We are watching the History channels presentation: The Bible. In the show they depict Samson as an African. I do not remember reading, or being taught in where in the bible that Samson was an African, or a black man. Am I wrong?

I have yet to find in anything in the Bible that I've read from or from the Bible series that I've listened to on audio CD, any mention that Samson was black. Not only black, but as you say he looked African or Jamaican with those dreadlocks. The best that I can get out of all of this is that Samson was a Jewish man, they may have been darker skin because they didn't have Coppertone back then, but they were not black as far as I know. So I do not think that you are wrong. I think this show is trying to be "politically correct" with the Bible. But then who knows with Actors and Directors and such these days.

lc335 · Bored

Inside Out wrote:
lc335 wrote:
IO help me out with this. We are watching the History channels presentation: The Bible. In the show they depict Samson as an African. I do not remember reading, or being taught in where in the bible that Samson was an African, or a black man. Am I wrong?
I have yet to find in anything in the Bible that I've read from or from the Bible series that I've listened to on audio CD, any mention that Samson was black. Not only black, but as you say he looked African or Jamaican with those dreadlocks. The best that I can get out of all of this is that Samson was a Jewish man, they may have been darker skin because they didn't have Coppertone back then, but they were not black as far as I know. So I do not think that you are wrong. I think this show is trying to be "politically correct" with the Bible. But then who knows with Actors and Directors and such these days.

"politically correct"????????!!!!!!!!!...........arrrrrrrrgh. .....

Inside Out · Bored

lc335 wrote:
"politically correct"????????!!!!!!!!!...........arrrrrrrrgh. .....

Yeah .... tell me about it ... makes me Mad .... but ... you will find it everywhere these days ....

lc335 · Bored

Well at least; even with the political correctness; people that might otherwise not have exposure to the bible will watch the show. Perhaps it will have some positive influence in their lives.

Krash · Interesting

Once during a drug raid, one that was both good and bad, after the nasty stuff was over and the SWAT team was holding each room a young officer asked another member of the team about the picture on the wall showing a 'black Jesus'. The other member looked at the picture, looked at Joe and said "That's Jimi Hendrix"!

lc335 · Bored

Krash wrote:
Once during a drug raid, one that was both good and bad, after the nasty stuff was over and the SWAT team was holding each room a young officer asked another member of the team about the picture on the wall showing a 'black Jesus'. The other member looked at the picture, looked at Joe and said "That's Jimi Hendrix"!

........and the young man didn't know the difference????

Krash · Interesting

He's a good kid.

Krash · Interesting

I still remember the first large disturbance I rolled on with him. This pretty little blonde thing was in the middle of it and he 'took her into custody' but was so afraid of hurting her he did it 'oh, so gently'. I saw how hesitant he was in handling her and yelled to him "treat her how she's acting'. About that time she slipped the cuffs and went to cuff him. I was close enough to stop it and properly cuff and stuff her, kicking and biting all the way. He learned a valuable lesson that night and has thanked me quite a few times for that lesson over the years.

lc335 · Bored

Ya learn quick don't ya Krash?.......about one time will do.

Krash · Interesting

Either that or you find another career.