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.

Our Daily Bread        copied from:  (not the same as shown)
"Our Daily Bread" - July 18, 2008
Anonymous

Humorist Sam Levenson told the story of a driver who put a note under the windshield wiper of a parked car that read, "I have just smashed into your car. The people who saw the accident are watching me. They think I'm writing down my name and address. I'm not. Good luck."

In Jeremiah 3, we read of another clever bit of pretense. Judah pretended to return to the Lord, but the hearts of the people remained far from Him. They called God "Father," but they continued doing all the evil they could get away with (vv. 4-5).

As this situation in Jeremiah indicates, putting on a false front is a very old practice. But I doubt that any is more up-to-date. And I can't think of a problem. I'm more concerned about in myself than a failure to respond from the heart to the Lord who has made Himself so real and so knowable in Christ. It is easy to say, "Yes, yes, He is our Lord and Saviour. He has died for our sins and deserves our worship and service." But it's not so easy to remember our commitment to Him when the pressure is off and no one is watching how we live.

Let's not kid ourselves. We're smart enough to look good in public and say the right things about the Lord when it's in our best interest to do so. But what about our heart relationship with the Lord? Can we look Him in the face without shame? Looking good in the eyes of others is not enough.

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 "Our Daily Times With God" pg. 245
M.R.D. II

Those who plant thorns cannot expect to gather flowers.

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 "Our Daily Times With God" pg. 242
Phrase

It is better to bite your tongue than to let it bite someone else.

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"Our Daily Bread" July 18, 2008
Phrase

"God can't steer a parked car" can be taken a challenge to shift your life into motion, and along the way God would guide you in the right direction. It's an interesting thought, but it's not the way God works.

At times, when Moses was in the wilderness, God kept the Israelites in one place. He led them by a cloud, and when it stayed still for many day, "the children of Israel did not journey" (Numbers 9:19). Waiting isn't always easy, but sometimes God wants us to stay right where He has put us. The psalmist reminds us, "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart" (Psalm 27:14).

You may feel that you're stuck and just spinning your wheels in your service for God. But keep your heart open to God's leading. Then you'll be ready to shift gears when you hear God say, "Let's go this way."



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"Our Daily Bread" February 20, 2010
Cindy Hess Kasper - I adjusted this from one person form.

During the Civil War, a man had an only son who enlisted in the armies of the Union. The father was a banker and, although he consented to his son's going, it seemed as if it would break his heart to let him go.

He became deeply interested in the soldier boys, and whenever he saw a uniform, his heart went out as he thought of his own dear boy. He spent his time, neglected his business, gave his money to caring for the soldiers who came home invalid. His friends remonstrated with him, saying he had no right to neglect his business and spend so much thought upon the soldiers, so he fully decided to give it all up.

After he had come to this decision, there stepped into his bank one day a private soldier in a faded, worn uniform, who showed in his face and hands the marks of the hospital.

The poor fellow was fumbling in his pocket to get something or other, when the banker saw him and, perceiving his purpose, said to him:

"My dear fellow, I cannot do anything for you today. I am extremely busy. You will have to go to your headquarters; the officers there will look after you."

Still the poor convalescent stood not seeming to fully understand what was said to him. Still he fumbled in bis pockets and, by and by, drew out a scrap of dirty paper, on which there were a few lines written with a pencil, and laid this soiled sheet before the banker. On it he found these words.

"Dear "Father: This is one of my comrades who was wounded in the last fight, and has been in the hospital. Please receive him as myself. --Charlie."

In a moment all the resolutions of indifference which this man made, flew away He took the boy to his palatial home, put him in Charlie's room, gave him Charlie's seat at the table, kept him until food and rest and love had brought him back to health, and then sent him back again to imperil his life for the flag.

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October 25 "Streams In The Desert 1" by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman
Selected

It is your business to learn to be peaceful and safe in God in every situation.

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October 28 "Streams In The Desert 1" by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman
Anonymous

Those who have been found should seek the lost.

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"Our Daily Bread" - October 29, 2009
Phrase