Daily Bread Pastor Mike Anderson

Readings for the Day Proverbs 16-18, Romans 12 Verses for the Day Romans 12:1-2 A Living Sacrifice 12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. In my opinion there is not a better set of verses than these to explain what the Christian life looks like. When Paul says, "therefore", he is saying, "in light of everything I have explained to you up to this point do this." It is the "So What" question he is answering. Important he starts out by saying, "in view of God's mercy". Our motivation for living the Christian life is a response to the great act of mercy and grace God gave us through Jesus. As a pastor for t

Readings for the Day Proverbs 13-15, Romans 11 Verses for the Day 28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. We know that Paul's letter is mainly written to the Gentiles, but it is also written to Paul's fellow Jews as well. There is no chapter in the New Testament that has as much teaching on how Jewish people were meant to be part of Jesus' community as Romans 11. Paul's basic argument is that God's gifts and call are irrevocable. Meaning the original covenant God made with Abraha

Readings for the Day Proverbs 7-9, Romans 9 Verses for the Day Warning Against the Adulterous Woman 7 My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. 2 Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. 3 Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and to insight, “You are my relative.” 5 They will keep you from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words. 6 At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice. 7 I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense. 8 He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house 9 at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in. 10 Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent. 11 (She is unruly and defiant, her feet never stay at home; 12 now in the street, now in the

Readings for the Day Proverbs 4-6, Romans 8 Verses for the Day 20 My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. The Proverbs are part of what is called "wisdom literature" in the bible. Wisdom is personified, and in this case has words to say to a "son". In some ways we can make a parallel between Jesus and His Heavenly Father, when he lived on earth. Jesus is also been said to personify "wisdom", as the wisdom from God come down to earth. In this Proverb the focus is on the son paying attention to the "words of wisdom". Not only should the son pay attention to these words, but he should always keep them in his sight, and keep them within his heart. So it is not just seeing and hearing

Readings for the Day 1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 9, Psalm 136, Romans 5 Verses of the Day Peace and Hope 5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand." Everyone is looking for peace in the world today. The opposite of peace is anxiety, worry and fear. There are all kinds of prescriptions for how to overcome these three challenges to the human condition. But at the heart of being justified or made right with God by faith is peace. And Paul says it brings "peace with God". Peace with God is the foundation of any real peace. All other kinds of peace are secondary to peace with our maker. All throughout the Old Testament God's people feared him. And for good reason, because there were times when God displayed His wrath. The only way for Israel to atone for their sins was through the sacrificial system. And even that pe

Readings for the Day 2 Chronicles 6-7; Psalms 135, Romans 4 Verses for the Day Abraham Justified by Faith 4 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Paul is speaking to new believers in Rome, who were once Jewish. Importantly he connects the faith of Abraham to the new Christian community. The key verse comes from Genesis 15:6 where its says, "Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness." Abraham trusted in the promise that through he and Sarah, God would bless all nations. There was only one problem, Abraham was 86 and Sarah was 76. But one step at a time Abraham moved his family by faith, and eventually Issac was born, the child of the promise. And in the Old Testament we see Solomon fulfil

Readings for the Day 1 Kings 7, 2 Corinthians 4, Psalm 98, Romans 2 Verses for the Day Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. In Hebrews 10, the writer (we do not know who that is) compares the once and for all sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross, with the sacrifices prescribed by God to the Israelites in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, the high priest when into the most holy place one time per year to offer up the innocent lamb of God. The idea was that Israel needed to be reminded of its sin, and the animal was a sign of how God made atonement for their sin. God needed something innocent to pay for the sins of the guilty. Since the guilty party could not pay for their sins they needed someon

Readings for the Day 1 Kings 2, 1 Chronicles 29, Psalm 95, 2 Thessalonians 1 Verses for the Day 1 Chronicles 29:14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. 15 We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. 16 Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. 17 I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you." Thoughts for the Day Today we see the transition of leadership from King David to his youngest son, Solomon. And since David is not chosen to build the Lord's temple, he passes on this d

Readings for the Day 1 Kings 1, 1 Chronicles 28, Psalm 91, 1 Thessalonians 5 Verses for the Day 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. As Paul wraps up his first letter to the Thessalonians, he concludes regarding the end times, "Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night." Though the believers were facing intense persecution for their faith in Jesus, they should not be afraid of that day, but stay sober and awake. And so the question would naturally be, "How do we stay sober and alert as we wait for Jesus' return?" Paul gives three simple and practical ways. He says, "Rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances for this God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Sometimes we spend so much trying to figure out wha

Readings for the Day 1 Chronicles 22-24, 1 Thesslonians 3 Verses for the Day 6 Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel. 7 David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the Lord my God. 8 But this word of the Lord came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. 9 But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon,[a] and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. 10 He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ Today we see a big transition in God's plan to bring in Jesus as Messiah through the line of David as he had promised. David's ma

Readings for the Day 2 Samuel 24, 1 Chronicles 21, Psalm 30, 1 Thessalonians 2 Verses for the Day 10 David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.” Some might read this passage and say, "What harm is there in David taking a census of the number of fighting men in Israel and Judah?" After all, isn't it good for a commander to know his manpower and count his sheep. The problem was that God had always promised that it was not the number of the men or the size of horses, but that His hand was with them as he delivered them from their enemies. It was not by earthly power that David would have victory over their enemies, but upon trust in The Lord and the power of the Spirit. And as we read the story, we see that even his top commander Joab had urged him not to do it. He had seen God'

Readings for the Day 2 Samuel 21-23, 1 Thessalonians 1 Verses for the Day 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 "For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction." Paul spent a relatively short time in Thessalonica, as he planted the Church there. Paul and Silas had spent three to four weeks there preaching in the synagogue. When the Jews started to see converts, they started a riot and tried to get Paul out of the city. After being protected by the believers there, Paul and Silas were sent off in the middle of the night. The book of 1 Thessalonians is one of the earliest written books in the New Testament (Approximately 51-52 AD) This is why Paul starts out with the verses above. He affirms their reception of the Gospel by the power of the Holy Spirit, which brought about a deep conviction in their hearts. This is why a few verses later Paul says

Readings for the Day 2 Samuel 17, Psalms 71, Matthew 26 Verses for the Day "Then all the disciples deserted him and fled." Matthew 26:56 Of course the context for the verse of the day is Jesus' last night, as he shares the Last Supper and goes into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. In these hours we see the humanness of Jesus. He is deeply sorrowful to the point of death. He feels alone and asks the disciples to stay with him and watch in prayer. As He goes to plead with the Father about what the night will eventually bring, all his disciples can do is sleep. Meanwhile Judas' act of betrayal brings an army sent by the high priests to arrest Jesus armed with swords and clubs. They are expecting a fight. One of Jesus companions cuts the ear off one of the men, and what does Jesus do? The situation is ripe for an all out fight, but Jesus tells the man to put back his sword. Then, he explains that if he wanted he could call down legions of angels to bail him out

Readings for the Day 2 Samuel 13-14 Matthew 24 Verses for the Day "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." A lot of people wonder when the end will come and Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead. They point to different signs in the world like wars, famines, earthquakes etc. The bible does say these are the birth-pangs that the end is near, but it also says, "no one knows the day or the hour the Son of Man will appear". Did you hear that? No one. Jesus says in his human existence that not even he or the angels know, but only His Father in heaven. And so what are some of the other indicators that might signal our Lord's return? We don't hear about this one very much. Jesus says the gospel of the kingdom will preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, then the end will come. Remember what John 3:16, "For God so loves the world that

Reading for the Day: 2 Samuel 11-12, Psalms 51, Matthew 23 Verses of the Day Psalm 51[a] For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. The context of this psalm is the confession by King David, when he committed adultery with Bathsheba. When she became pregnant, he tried to cover up his sin by sending Bathsheba's husband Uriah home

Readings for the Day 2 Samuel 10, 1 Chronicles 20, Psalm 20, Matthew 22 Verses of the Day 11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless. 13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ It is helpful to know the context of Jesus' teaching, especially as it relates to weddings in His day. Note, "In Jewish society, the parents of the betrothed generally drew up the marriage contract. The bride and groom would meet, perhaps for the first time, when this contract was signed. The couple was considered married at this point, but they would separate until the actual time of the ceremony. The bride would remain with her parents, and the groom would leave to prepare their home. This could take quite a while. When the

Readings for the Day 2 Samuel 8-9, 1 Chronicles 18-19, Maathew 21 Verses for the Day 14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant. 16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?” Jesus continues to introduce paradoxes in his teaching, especially as he confronts the religious leaders of the day. Instead of being excited about how the kingdom is coming through him to heal the blind and the lame, they try to discount what he is doing because of their pride. Then the highlight comes when the children shout in praise to Jesus, "Hosanna to the Son of David". This is a quote from Psalm 8, declaring the Jesus is the Mes

Readings for the Day 1 Chronicles 16; Psalm 106; Matthew 19 Verses for the Day 1 Chronicles 16:8-11 Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nationswhat he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. As David puts the Ark of the Covenant in the Tent he had made for it, he appoints different people to offer sacrifices and worship before the Lord's presence. Some were musicians, some singers and some were priests. We know David himself wrote many worship songs, psalms and spiritual songs. 75 of the 150 Psalms were attributed to him many of which were meant for worshipping The Lord. We know David was a man after God's own heart, and worship was the product of his heart condition. Notice how worship is active. Give praise, sing praise, give glory, look to The Lord and seek His fa