Daily Bread Pastor Mike Anderson

Yesterday we talked about the nature of idolatry. What it is. What it means. And how to do we recognize it and turn from it. Today we see how idolatry is often introduced to the people of God, through false prophets. A prophet is someone who brings forth the Word of God. Often they receive God's Word through dreams, visions, or through hearing from God. They often spend lots of time alone listening to God, then bringing God's Word to the community. Prophets never disagree with the bible, or doctrines universally accepted by the orthodox Christian church throughout history. But today we see the nature and manner of false prophets. The false prophets were even able to do signs and wonders, which helped them deceive the believers. Just because someone does signs and wonders doesn't necessary mean they are from God. Importantly the key telltale sign in today's Old Testament lesson is that the false prophet then leads them to worship other gods. Their motive is always to ...

Today in both of the readings in the Old and New Testament, the people of God, the children of the promise are tempted to do something. They are tempted to go back to the very things God delivered them from. Instead of changing the culture they have been given victory over, they start assimilating to the practices God had commanded them not to do. Worst of all was idolatry, the worshipping and offering sacrifices to other gods. In the Old Testament these practices were strictly forbidden in God's covenant with Israel. But God knew after they had driven out the nations, they would be vulnerable to their detestable practices, which even included child sacrifice. In Revelation, the apostle John exhorts the church in Pergamum, one of the seven churches addressed in the last book of the bible. Literally he says you live where Satan has his throne, but they have up to this point remained true to the faith. Yet, there are a few teachers who have slipped into their ranks, both of them tr...

The obvious answer to the question, "Who does God choose" is whoever he wants! Today Paul is dealing with the anguish he has over his Jewish brothers, who have received the covenants given to Abraham and the promise of the Messiah through David. But Paul reckons that just because some has descended from a Jewish lineage does not mean they are children of the promise. He uses the example of Rebekah's twins, Jacob and Esau. God chose Jacob to be the child of the promise and rejected Esau before they were born. This beckons the question to the Roman Christians is God unjust? Then he quotes from Exodus 33:19 the verse, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion". Importantly it does not depend on human effort or desire, but God's mercy. Later, he will say in the chapter that some Jews chose to obey the Law rather than to believe on the promises by faith in Jesus. That is why Jesus became the stumbling block fo...

Today's Proverbs passage from chapter 8 is titled, "Wisdom's Call". Like a lot of other passages in Proverbs, it "personifies" wisdom as if it were a human character. Wisdom is usually personified as a female using the terms "she" and "her". In doing this it makes wisdom more personal as it counsels and guides us, and answers us when we call. This is backed by what the New Testament says in James 1:5 when it says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." The Proverbs give the incalculable nature of the riches that wisdom brings. By choosing wisdom it is more valuable than silver, gold and rubies. It will bring wealth and prosperity and satisfy the desires of your heart. And, it is available to all people, including kings, princes and rulers. Again we see the personification of wisdom when the passage says, "I love those who love me, a...

Today we have the touching story of Jacob, son of Abraham and Issac, being united with his beloved son Joseph. Due to God's hand being upon Joseph, he was put in charge by the Pharoah of Egypt of everything in Egypt. When Joseph's brothers come back a second time to reunite with him, Joseph weeps when he sees his brother Benjamin. They had gone back to get the youngest brother Benjamin, upon Joseph's request. Joseph and Benjamin are the two sons born to Rachel, Jacob's wife. Jacob was reluctant to let Benjamin go because he had already thought he had lost Joseph and didn't want to lose both. But Judah, the oldest brother, steps in and says, "if I do not bring him back I will personally take responsibility for him the rest of my life. Eventually Jacob will return to reunite with his sons Joseph and Benjamin. He blesses Joseph with a double portion of inheritance for his two sons Ephraim and Manessah, who were born to him in Egypt. Eventually Jesus will come ...

Today in Psalm 46 we have two verses that are worth memorizing. Verse 1, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble." And verse 10, "Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." So often we turn to ourselves for refuge and strength. Sometimes we don't realize God is an "ever present" help in time of need. We think things have to be really bad in order to qualify for what we can take to God. But as the old hymn "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" goes, "What a Friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer!" Notice it says a couple of things, "everything to God in prayer". God has given us a vehicle or a means to communicate all of our sins and griefs throu...

We see again today that those who bring the Word of The Lord will not always be welcomed warmly We see the prophet Jeremiah lamenting the day he was born due to the persecution from his own people. He has reached the end of the rope. He is as we say, "done". Jeremiah is doing what true prophets do, he is speaking God's Word. In this case the false prophets are telling the kings what they want to hear. But Jeremiah has quite a different message. He is fearless in speaking what God has told him. We see Jesus is a true prophet as well. He says, "Woe to you Choraxin and Bethsaida. If the miracles that were performed for you were for Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago." This is in the context of sending out the 72 disciples two by two ahead of him to the towns he had not gone too yet. And he tells them if they are not welcomed in any town, to dust their feet off as a warning of judgment to that town. Then he says whoever rejects you rejects me. An...

Today's readings remind us that as we step out in response to God's calling in our lives, there will often be resistance. In all three cases today with David, Jeremiah and Peter they faced severe opposition in their obedience to God. David's psalm reminds us that God is His Rock and his salvation, therefore he will not be deterred. Because God is his fortress he will not be shaken. As Jeremiah is faithful to prophesy the Lord's words to the people of Judah regarding their eventual destruction, it is not received well. In fact, he is mocked, ridiculed and insulted all day long. But he is so committed to His call in spite of this that he says if I were not to mention His name, it would be like a burning fire in his heart that he could not put out. It is a fire in his bones he cannot keep in. He is compelled like the apostle Paul to preach the Word in season and our of season. Finally, we have the apostle Peter writing to the early believers urging them to not get caug...

In today's passages we see the difference between a man who trusted in God for all things, and two nations that have left God and received the consequences for their idolatry. David says though your riches increase, do not put your hope in them. He says it is all in vain and the low born and high born both live but a breath. Then, we see the "weeping prophet" Jeremiah, who was sent to the people of Israel. They had fallen and began offering sacrifices to the pagan gods like Baal. They had even gone to the point of sacrificing their children to foreign gods, which is something the One true God would have never require. That alone showed how far they had fallen from the teaching of The Lord. As a consequence God would allow Babylon to come and conquer them and take away all that God had blessed them with. It's as if God said if you don't want my protection and want to worship another god, I will allow the nations I have protected you from to overtake you. Then, ...

Today, the disciples try to rebuke those who are bringing little children to Jesus. Perhaps they were trying to protect him for what they deemed an unimportant matter. To the contrary Jesus says, "Bring the little children to me for the kingdom belongs to such as these." Then he makes another qualifying statement and says, "If anyone does not receive the kingdom of God like one of these they will never enter it." So not only does he welcome the little kids, but he uses them as a model for how enter into God's kingdom. So what do you think he is trying to teach the disciples here? What is it about little children that makes them so suitable for Jesus and the kingdom. I think the biggest thing is trust. Kids will naturally trust in the authority figures around them, until they are given a reason not to. That is why child abuse or neglect is awful,and leaves scars for many years. Those who have been subject to this often have a hard time trusting authority fig...

Today we learn about the fall of King Saul and Ananias and Sapphira. We see similar dynamics at work in their downfall from the grace of God. Both of them kept something for themselves that belonged to The Lord. In Saul's case he rationalized keeping some of the sheep and cattle, after he was directed to not keep anything that belonged to the Amalekites. Then he rationalizes even more by saying he took some of the best of these animals to sacrifice to The Lord. Then he further defends himself by saying the soldiers took the plunder. Samuel who had been told by The Lord that Saul's reign was over due to his direct disobedience to the Lord's command, says "Enough!" Finally, Saul admits the true nature if his sin. He says he was afraid of the men so he let them do it. Ananias and Sapphira have a similar but different sin. In Acts 4, it says the believers were of one heart and mind and shared their possessions. When they sold properties or houses they put the proce...

In today's reading we have David's unflappable and unwavering trust in God, despite the fact that his enemies are bearing down on all sides. In his distress he calls out to God and trusts that He will deliver him because God alone is powerful. His acts of power will show that He is the one and only true God. Then David asks him to teach him the way so he can have an undivided heart. David sees the challenges before him and He asks God how he can learn to trust is His unfailing love. David teaches us that it is not always easy to trust God, especially when the circumstances around us threaten our health or security. What I like the most about David is that he does not hesitate to cry out to God and be honest with exactly what He needs. He knows God intimately and trusts him completely. Where is God calling you to trust him completely? Maybe it a health or security issue? Maybe it is in a relationship that is difficult? Maybe you are doubting God's goodness because of som...

Today's readings show two instances of those who continually did not heed the warnings given to them and their continual rebellion and foolishness separated them from God. While Eli's son Samuel, grew up in God's presence as God was preparing him for the role he would play in the life of Israel, his other sons were on a different path. Despite knowing God's law, they not only committed adultery but did it in the tent of meeting. This was a place God met with the people. It was a holy place and they sinned not only against the women, but The Lord. So Eli says, if you had sinned against a person God could mediate, but if you sin against God who can intercede. They were indeed in a precarious position. In the parable of the ten virgins we don't see quite as much background on their character, but when it came time to meet the bridegroom, five were wise and five were foolish. The wise ones came prepared with oil to meet the bridegroom, but the foolish ones neglected t...

When we normally think of judges we think of those who preside in court and decide on cases, or at least are in charge of the legal proceedings. But in the bible it refers to the leaders God sent to Israel when they cried out to him after being oppressed by foreign nations because they had fallen away from God's covenant with them. The judge would lead the people back into repentance and they begin to prosper once again. But then they fall back into unfaithfulness and the pattern is repeated again. Later God through the prophet Samuel sent them a King, Saul. And finally, as Paul recounts Israel's salvation history there came King David whose descendants led to Jesus. So we see throughout the Old Testament of God blessing and prospering one generation and then the next generation forgets the promises given to their forefathers. Finally, God sent the ultimate judge Jesus, who not only judged the people for their sin, but became the substitute that took on their sin on the cross...

Psalm 139 is probably one of the greatest psalms David wrote. He describes the intimate nature of God knowing us and creating us. And it makes sense doesn't it that the one who created us would know very detail about us. David goes so far as to say God knows when we go out and come back in. He knows our schedules better than we do. And he knows what we are going to say before we say it. As David ponders this all he can conclude is, "such knowledge is too wonderful for me." If anyone wanted to make an argument that life begins at conception, verses 13-18 are pretty clear about God's involvement in the process of bringing a human life into existence. In fact, the bible says all of our days are ordained for us even before we are born. All this leads David to say, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made!" If you are having a problem with self esteem this is the verse to read. Maybe instead of self esteem, we could call it "God esteem". Meaning our wort...

There was a devotional book someone gave me a while back called "Streams in the Desert" by Mrs. Charles Cowman. The devotions reflect what is written in the book of Isaiah today when it says, "17“The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. 18 I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs." Israel was in a time where they had felt abandoned by God, and Isaiah reminds them that the God who made the world could turn the dry desert into pools of waters and make rivers flow on the barren heights. And why will he do this? First, to let His people know that He will never forsake them no matter how bad it gets. Second, will be so the people will know and understand He is The Lord and maker of the universe. Have you ever been thirsty...

Today we have The Lord directing Moses to anoint everything in the tabernacle. The tent of the meeting, the table, the lamp stand and all the other articles related to worshipping God. The oil was made up of a special blend of perfumes and resins such as frankincense and myrrh. These were two of gifts the Magi brought for the Baby Jesus in Bethlehem, led by the star. The incense was made from ground up frankincense and other spices and perfumes. The oil was also used to anoint Aaron and his sons who served as priests in the tabernacle. Importantly Moses is given explicit instructions not to use this mixture for anything other than the uses for which it was consecrated. In a sense the things used for worship could be termed "holy things" and the priests "holy men". The term means set apart for a special purpose. Usually the term is used derogatory manner today saying things like, "he is a holy roller". Or, "she always acts holier than thou." It...