Daily Bread Pastor Mike Anderson 2026

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...