Our Daily Bread

Topic:The Main Actor Bible in a Year: Isaiah 37–38 Colossians 3 The Lord has done this. Psalm 118:23 I once heard about a student taking a class in preaching at a prominent seminary. The student, a young man who was a bit full of himself, delivered his sermon with eloquence and evident passion. He sat down self-satisfied, and the professor …

Topic:Don’t Forget! Bible in a Year: Isaiah 34–36 Colossians 2 He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. Acts 1:9 My niece, her four-year-old daughter Kailyn, and I had a wonderful Saturday afternoon together. We enjoyed blowing bubbles outside, coloring in a princess coloring book, and eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. …

Topic:Hang in There Bible in a Year: Isaiah 32–33 Colossians 1 I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 My father-in-law turned seventy-eight recently, and during our family gathering to honor him, someone asked him, “What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in your life so far?” His answer? “Hang …

Topic:Shelter from the Storm Bible in a Year: Isaiah 30–31 Philippians 4 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Exodus 33:22 As the story goes, in 1763, a young minister, traveling on a cliffside road in Somerset, England, ducked into a …

Topic:God’s Heart for Hypocrites Bible in a Year: Isaiah 28–29 Philippians 3 She is more righteous than I. Genesis 38:26 “I’d be very disappointed if one of our team members did that,” said a cricket player, referring to a South African cricketer who’d cheated in a match in 2016. But only two years later, that same player was caught in …

Topic:Do What It Says Bible in a Year: Isaiah 26–27 Philippians 2 Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it. Luke 11:28 Brian was scheduled to be an usher at his brother’s wedding, but he was a no-show. Understandably, family members were disappointed, including his sister Jasmine who was the Scripture reader for the occasion. …

Topic:Trust Your Armor Bible in a Year: Isaiah 23–25 Philippians 1 Go, and the Lord be with you. 1 Samuel 17:37 As a young writer I was often unsure of myself when I was in writing workshops. I would look around and see rooms filled with giants, if you will—people with formal training or years of experience. I had neither. …

Topic:He Calms the Storms Bible in a Year: Isaiah 20–22 Ephesians 6 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Matthew 14:27 Jim was frantically sharing about problems he was encountering with his work team: division, judgmental attitudes, and misunderstandings. After an hour of patiently listening to his concerns, I suggested, “Let’s ask Jesus …

Topic:Catching Foxes Bible in a Year: Isaiah 14–16 Ephesians 5:1–16 Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards. Song of Songs 2:15 The first time a bat invaded our home we dismissed it as a fluke. But after a second nighttime visit, I read up on the little critters and discovered they don’t need much of …

Topic:Eat and Repeat Bible in a Year: Isaiah 11–13 Ephesians 4 We have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna! Numbers 11:6 When Kerry and Paul got married, neither one knew how to cook. But one night Kerry decided to try her hand at spaghetti—making so much that the couple had it for dinner again the next …