Our Daily Bread Devotional

“Ain’t No Grave”

Read: 1 Corinthians 15:12-22 | Bible in a Year: Proverbs 22-24; 2 Corinthians 8

If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 1 Corinthians 15:14

Even as country music legend Johnny Cash was approaching death, he was determined to keep making music. His final album, American VI: Ain’t No Grave, was recorded in the final months of his life. The title song, Cash’s version of a hymn by Claude Ely, gives insight into his final thoughts as we hear him sing of his hope of the resurrection. His famously deep voice, though weakened by his declining health, declares a powerful testimony of faith.

Johnny’s hope wasn’t simply in the fact that Jesus was resurrected on Easter Sunday morning; he believed that one day his own physical body would also be resurrected, and he’d rise again.

It’s an important truth to affirm because even in the days of the apostle Paul, people denied a future physical resurrection. Paul strongly critiqued their argument when he wrote, “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 Corinthians 15:13-14).

Just as the grave couldn’t hold Jesus’ body, one day all those who have faith that He was resurrected “will be made alive” (v. 22). And in our resurrected bodies, we’ll enjoy all eternity with Him on a new earth. That’s reason to sing!

What comfort does the hope of physical resurrection bring to you? How’s it an expression of faith?

Jesus, thank You for giving me the amazing hope of a future in heaven with You.

Find ten reasons to believe in the resurrection.

INSIGHT

When Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 15 around ad 53-55, there were various erroneous views about the resurrection of the dead (see Acts 23:8; 26:8; 2 Timothy 2:17-18). Refuting false teachers who said there wasn’t any resurrection, the apostle affirms the resurrection of Christ and the future resurrection of believers as the cornerstone of faith in Him (1 Corinthians 15:12-19). At the heart of the gospel is Jesus’ atoning death and bodily resurrection: “Christ died for our sins . . . , he was raised on the third day” (vv. 3-4). His resurrection affirms the sufficiency of His sacrifice. God accepted Jesus’ payment for our sins by raising Him from the dead: “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:25; see 6:4-11). Paul warns, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17).

By lisa m. samra|2024-09-15T02:33:28-04:00September 15th, 2024|

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Good Congee

Read: 2 Kings 5:1-3, 9-14 | Bible in a Year: Proverbs 19-21; 2 Corinthians 7

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He went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him. 2 Kings 5:14

Jocelyn’s bestselling dish at her food stall was her congee. She’d stir the rice porridge very carefully until it had a smooth consistency. So, she was startled when a regular customer said, “Your congee tastes different. The texture isn’t as fine.”

Jocelyn’s new assistant had prepared it this time and explained why it was different: “I didn’t stir it as long as the recipe said since that’s how I do it at home. I also added more sesame oil. In my opinion, it tastes better that way.” She had decided to ignore the recipe and do it her way instead.

This is how I sometimes respond to God’s instructions. Instead of fully obeying His commands as given in Scripture, I subject them to my opinions and proceed my way.

Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army, was on the verge of making a similar mistake. On receiving God’s instruction through the prophet Elisha to wash himself in the Jordan so his leprosy would be healed, the proud soldier got angry. He had his own expectations for how his need ought to be addressed, believing his opinion was superior to God’s command (2 Kings 5:11-12). His servants, however, convinced him to listen to Elisha’s words (v. 13). As a result, Naaman was healed.

When we do things God’s way, we experience a peace that’s indescribable. Let’s work with Him in fulfilling His purposes.

How do you allow your opinions to compromise your obedience to God? How does this affect His work in your life?

Dear God, please help me to obey You in full, for Your command far surpasses my opinion.

INSIGHT

What we see of Naaman in 2 Kings 5 is a reminder of our human propensity for “self-salvation strategies”—self-styled plans to improve ourselves, our status with others, and even with God Himself. While there’s nothing wrong with general self-improvement, we can only have a right relationship with God by accepting Christ’s sacrifice as the payment for our sin. We can’t allow pride, self-righteousness, and worldly wisdom to get in the way. Acts 16:30-31 says, “ ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.’ ”

By Karen Huang|2024-09-14T02:33:22-04:00September 14th, 2024|

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Kingdom-Shaped Workplace

Read: Matthew 6:9-13 | Bible in a Year: Proverbs 16-18; 2 Corinthians 6

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Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10

The factories of Victorian England were dark places. Fatalities were high, and workers often lived in poverty. “How can the working man cultivate ideals,” George Cadbury asked, “when his home is a slum?” And so he built a new kind of factory for his expanding chocolate business, one that benefited his workers.

The result was Bournville, a village of more than three hundred homes with sports fields, playgrounds, schools, and churches for Cadbury’s workers and their families. They were paid good wages and offered medical care, all because of Cadbury’s faith in Christ.

Jesus teaches us to pray for God’s will to be done “on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). This prayer can help us imagine, as Cadbury did, what our workplaces would be like under God’s rule, where our “daily bread” is earned and our “debtors” forgiven (vv. 11-12). As employees, it means working with “all your heart . . . for the Lord” (Colossians 3:23). As employers, it means giving staff what’s “right and fair” (4:1). Whatever our role, whether paid or voluntary, it means tending to the well-being of those we serve with.

Like George Cadbury, let’s imagine how things could be different if God were in charge of our neighborhoods and workplaces. Because when He is, people flourish.

What would your workplace or neighborhood look like under God’s rule? How could you pray and work toward this vision?

Loving God, please help me to see what my workplace or neighborhood would look like under Your rule, and empower me to bring change where I can.

INSIGHT

Matthew 6:9-13, commonly known as the Lord’s Prayer, might more correctly be titled the Disciple’s Prayer because Jesus wanted to teach His disciples how to pray (v. 9; Luke 11:1). Christ gave this model, or pattern, because He didn’t want His disciples to utter self-centered, exhibitionist prayers like the hypocrites (Matthew 6:5) or to babble ritualistic, meaningless words “like [the] pagans” (v. 7). Jesus wants us to pray in a way that affirms our relationship with God: to revere and honor Him as our heavenly Father in our dedication and service (v. 9); to carry out His plans for this world and to live out His kingdom priorities and will for our lives (v. 10); to depend on Him and trust Him to provide for our physical and spiritual sustenance (v. 11); to become forgiving people because we’ve been forgiven (v. 12); and to be victorious in overcoming temptation, sin, and Satan (v. 13).

Seek out what the Bible teaches us about prayer.

By Sheridan Voysey|2024-09-13T02:33:22-04:00September 13th, 2024|

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Retrieval Practice

Read: Exodus 20:8-11 | Bible in a Year: Proverbs 13-15; 2 Corinthians 5

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Remember the Sabbath day. Exodus 20:8

Have you ever been in the middle of telling a story and then stopped, stuck on a detail like a name or date you couldn’t recall? We often chalk it up to age, believing that memory fades with time. But recent studies no longer support that view. In fact, they indicate our memory isn’t the problem; it’s our ability to retrieve those memories. Without a regular rehearsal of some kind, memories become harder to access.

One of the ways to improve that retrieval ability is by regularly scheduled actions or experiences of recalling a certain memory. Our Creator God knew this, so He instructed the children of Israel to set aside one day a week for worship and rest. In addition to the physical rest that comes from such a respite, we gain an opportunity for mental training, to recall that “in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them” (Exodus 20:11). It helps us to remember there is a God, and it’s not us.

In the rush of our lives, we sometimes lose our grip on the memories of what God has done for us and for others. We forget who keeps close watch over our lives and who promises His presence when we feel overwhelmed and alone. A break from our routine provides an opportunity for that needed “retrieval practice”—an intentional decision to stop and remember our God and “forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2).

What tempts you to skip rest? How can taking time to rest draw you closer to God?

Dear God, please remember me and give me the wisdom to stop and remember You as well.

INSIGHT

In Jesus’ day, the Sabbath had acquired a layer of regulations that God hadn’t prescribed. This precipitated several Sabbath confrontations between Christ and the religious leaders known as the Pharisees. In John 5, Jesus healed a man at the pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath, upsetting the Pharisees (vv. 1-10). John says that “because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him” (v. 16). Then they took exception to the disciples picking grain on the Sabbath (Mark 2:23-24). Christ told them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (v. 27). Paul wrote that we shouldn’t let anyone judge us “with regard to . . . a Sabbath day” (Colossians 2:16). He also said, “One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind” (Romans 14:5).

By John Blase|2024-09-12T02:33:28-04:00September 12th, 2024|

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Colors of Hope

Read: Genesis 9:11-17 | Bible in a Year: Proverbs 10-12; 2 Corinthians 4

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I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Genesis 9:15

On September 11, 2023—the twenty-second anniversary of the attacks against the United States—a stunning double rainbow graced the skies above New York City. Home to the former Twin Towers, this city suffered the greatest losses in the attacks. More than two decades later, the double rainbow brought a sense of hope and healing to those who were there to see it. A video clip of the moment seemed to capture the rainbows emanating from the site of the World Trade Center itself.

Rainbows in the sky have brought an assurance of God’s faithfulness since the days of Noah. In the wake of God’s judgment of sin which resulted in unimaginable destruction, He set the colorful beacon as a visual reminder of “the everlasting covenant between [Himself] and all living creatures” (Genesis 9:16). After forty dark days of rain and months of flooding (7:17-24), one can only imagine how welcome the rainbow—“the sign of the covenant”—must have been to Noah and his family (9:12-13). It was a reminder of God’s faithfulness that “never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth” (v. 11).

When we face dark days and tragic losses—whether due to natural disaster, physical or emotional pain, or the plight of disease—let’s look to God for hope in the midst of it. Even if we don’t catch a glimpse of His rainbow in those moments, we can be assured of His faithfulness to His promises.

How has God revealed His presence to you during difficult seasons of life? Who might need to hear your story today?

Father God, please help me to see You in the midst of my struggles today.

INSIGHT

In the Noahic covenant, God made an unconditional, eternal covenant—or promise—with all mankind and all living creatures to never again destroy the earth and all life by a flood (Genesis 9:9-11). To seal this covenant, God “set [his] rainbow in the clouds” (v. 13) as a visible symbol of His promise. The Hebrew word for rainbow, qesheth, is also translated “bow”—a weapon. One commentator notes: “In what is a radical reinterpretation of divine power, the bow ceases to function as a sign of God’s militancy and begins to function as a sign of God’s grace. A rainbow is a bow without an arrow.” While the rainbow gives us great encouragement today, assuring us of God’s mercy and grace, God actually set the rainbow as a reminder to Himself of His “everlasting covenant” with “all living creatures of every kind on the earth” (v. 16).

By Kirsten Holmberg|2024-09-11T02:33:19-04:00September 11th, 2024|

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Spiritual Royalty

Read: John 1:9-13 | Bible in a Year: Proverbs 8-9; 2 Corinthians 3

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To all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12

When Jay Speights of Rockville, Maryland, took a DNA test, nothing could have prepared him for the results he received. They contained a big surprise—he was a prince of the West African nation of Benin! Soon he boarded a plane and visited the country. When he arrived, the royal family greeted and showered him with a festive homecoming—dancing, singing, banners, and a parade.

Jesus came to earth as God’s good news announcement. He went to His own people, the nation of Israel, to give them the good news and to show them the way out of darkness. Many received the message with apathy, rejecting the “true light” (John 1:9) and refusing to accept Him as Messiah (v. 11). But unbelief and apathy weren’t universal among the people. Some people humbly and gladly received Christ’s invitation, accepted Him as God’s eventual sacrifice for sin, and believed in His name. A surprise awaited this faithful remnant. He “gave [them] the right to become children of God” (v. 12)—to be royal children of His through spiritual rebirth.

When we turn from sin and darkness, receive Jesus, and believe in His name, we discover we’re children of God, adopted as royalty into His family. May we enjoy the blessings as we live up to the responsibilities of being the King’s kids.

How should being a child of God affect you? What will you do this week to live out your status and responsibility as His child?

Father, it’s amazing that through Jesus’ death You invite me into spiritual royalty. I’m humbled and grateful.

Learn more about having a personal relationship with God.

INSIGHT

In the New Living Translation, John 1:1-18 has the heading, “Prologue: Christ, the Eternal Word.” This section has been called a theological masterpiece, for its brilliance calls us to worshipful reflection and a desire to know and serve the one described. The term that John uses for Jesus before He entered the world is “the Word” (vv. 1, 14)—the creative self-expression of God through which all things came to be. A good subheading for verses 1-5 would be: “The Existence and Experience of the Word.” He existed as God and with God (vv. 1-2) and functioned as God (vv. 3-5). What God is credited with in Genesis 1—all of creation—is attributed to the Word as the active agent (see also Colossians 1:15-17). What follows in John 1:6-14 could be titled, “The Entrance of the Word into the World.” How was (and is) He received? With mixed reviews. But all who receive Him are welcomed into His family.

By Marvin Williams|2024-09-10T02:33:25-04:00September 10th, 2024|

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Remaining in Jesus

Read: Matthew 16:13-19 | Bible in a Year: Proverbs 6-7; 2 Corinthians 2

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I will build my church. Matthew 16:18

A fire burned Balsora Baptist Church to the ground. As emergency workers and community members gathered after the blaze subsided, they were surprised to see a charred cross standing upright amidst the smoke and ashes in the air. A firefighter commented that the fire “took the structure, but not the cross. [This is a reminder] that the building was just that, a building. The church is the congregation.”

The church is not a building, but a community united by the cross of Christ—the One who died, was buried, and rose again. When Jesus lived on earth, He told Peter He’d build His worldwide church, and nothing would destroy it (Matthew 16:18). Jesus would gather believers from all over the globe into a group that would continue throughout time. This community would face intense difficulty, but they’d ultimately endure. God would dwell within them and sustain them (Ephesians 2:22).

When we struggle to establish local churches only to have them stagnate and sputter, when buildings are destroyed, or when we’re concerned about believers struggling in other parts of the world, we can remember that Jesus is alive, actively enabling God’s people to persevere. We’re part of the church He’s building today. He’s with us and for us. His cross remains.

In what ways might you support fellow believers? How does sharing the good news relate to God’s plan for the church?

Dear God, please strengthen Your people everywhere. Fill them with wisdom, protect them, and help them stay faithful to You.

INSIGHT

How are we to interpret Jesus’ reference to “the gates of Hades” (Matthew 16:18)? The setting for Christ’s great question to Peter, “Who do you say I am?” (v. 15) is Caesarea Philippi, which lies at the southern base of Mount Hermon. The area in and around Caesarea Philippi had historically been known as Bashan, which scholars and the Scriptures connect to the worship of several false gods and to child sacrifice. People commonly believed this region to be the entrance to the underworld—the place of the dead. Jesus knew that the phrase “the gates of Hades” would be understood as our great enemy—death. Christ’s statement is a declaration that He’s the Messiah who overcomes even death. Peter answered Jesus’ question by saying, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (v. 16). Christ called Peter “blessed” for this response (v. 17).

By Jennifer Benson Schuldt|2024-09-09T02:33:23-04:00September 9th, 2024|

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United at Last

Read: Psalm 87 | Bible in a Year: Proverbs 3-5; 2 Corinthians 1

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All my fountains are in you. Psalm 87:7

In 1960, Otto Preminger provoked controversy with his movie Exodus. Based on Leon Uris’ novel, it provides a fictional account of Jewish refugees emigrating to Palestine after World War II. The film concludes with the bodies of a young European-Jewish girl and an Arab man, both murder victims, buried in the same grave in what would soon be the nation of Israel.

Preminger leaves the conclusion to us. Is this a metaphor for despair, a dream forever buried? Or is it a symbol of hope, as two peoples with a history of hatred and hostilities come together—in death and in life?

Perhaps the sons of Korah, credited with writing Psalm 87, would take the latter view of this scene. They anticipated a peace we still await. Of Jerusalem, they wrote, “Glorious things are said of you, city of God” (v. 3). They sang of a day when nations—all with a history of warring against the Jewish people—will come together to acknowledge the one true God: Rahab (Egypt), Babylon, the Philistines, Tyre, Cush (v. 4). All will be drawn to Jerusalem, and to God.

The conclusion of the psalm is celebratory. People in Jerusalem will sing, “All my fountains [springs] are in you” (v. 7). Who are they singing of? The One who is the Living Water, the Source of all life (John 4:14). Jesus is the only one who can bring lasting peace and unity.

What conflicts, both global and personal, cause you distress? How will you trust God to bring about His peace?

I pray, Father, for the peace and unity of all people as they’re drawn to Your Son.

INSIGHT

The word Zion is mentioned more than 150 times in the Bible. It’s used literally to refer to Jerusalem (city of David/city of God) and spiritually to refer to God’s heavenly kingdom (see Hebrews 12:22). It occurs mostly in Old Testament prophetic literature (about fifty times in Isaiah) and the Psalms (about forty times). The first reference is, in a way, a blueprint for future usage: “David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David” (2 Samuel 5:7). The ancient fortress, previously held by Jebusites/Canaanites, was taken by David and his soldiers. Zion was a significant place occupied by a significant person (God’s anointed) who would rule over a significant people (God’s chosen people). Psalm 132:13-14 beautifully captures the importance of Zion: “The Lord has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling, saying, ‘This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.’ ”

By Tim Gustafson|2024-09-08T02:33:26-04:00September 8th, 2024|

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Step Out in Faith

Read: Joshua 3:7-17 | Bible in a Year: Proverbs 1-2; 1 Corinthians 16

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When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river. Joshua 3:8

The guest speaker spoke on the wisdom of trusting God and “stepping into the river.” He told of a pastor who trusted God and chose to speak the truths of the Bible in a sermon despite the new law of his land. He was convicted of hate crimes and spent thirty days in jail. But his case was appealed, and the court ruled he had the right to give a personal interpretation of the Bible and to urge others to follow.

The priests carrying the ark of the covenant had to make a choice too—either step into the water or stay on the shore. After escaping Egypt, the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years. Now they stood on the banks of the Jordan River, which was at flood stage and dangerously high. But they took that step, and God caused the waters to recede: “As soon as . . . their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing” (Joshua 3:15-16).

When we trust God with our lives, He gives us the courage to move forward, whether choosing to speak the truths of the Bible or to take a step into unknown territory. During the pastor’s trial, the court heard the gospel through listening to his sermon. And, in Joshua, the Israelites crossed safely into the promised land and shared about the power of God with future generations (v. 17; 4:24).

If we step out in faith, God will see to the rest.

When have you faced a frightening situation and were afraid to take the first step? How did God help you to move forward?

Dear God, I need Your courage. Please help me to step out in faith.

For further study, read When Fear Seems Overwhelming.

INSIGHT

Crossing the Red Sea was the definitive miracle reminding the Israelites of God’s power: “When the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord . . . [they] feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant” (Exodus 14:31). To encourage them to trust Him and their new leader, Joshua, God parted the Jordan River (Joshua 3:7-17): Joshua explained, “The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea . . . so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful” (4:23-24).

By Alyson Kieda|2024-09-07T02:33:19-04:00September 7th, 2024|

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Speaking Truthfully in Christ

Read: Ephesians 4:22-29 | Bible in a Year: Psalms 148-150; 1 Corinthians 15:29-58

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Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. Ephesians 4:25

A man was adept at beating his personal traffic tickets by lying. When he appeared before various judges in court, he would tell the same tale: “I broke up with my girlfriend and she took my car without my knowledge.” In addition, he had been repeatedly reprimanded for misconduct while on the job. Prosecutors finally charged him with four counts of perjury and five counts of forgery for allegedly lying to judges under oath and providing fictitious police reports. For this man, lying had become a lifelong habit.

In contrast, the apostle Paul said that telling the truth is a vital habit for believers in Jesus to live out. He reminded the Ephesians that they’d put away their old way of living through surrendering their lives to Christ (Ephesians 2:1-5). Now, they needed to live like the new people they’d become, incorporating specific actions into their lives. One such action was something to cease—“put off falsehood”—and the other action something to practice—“speak truthfully to your neighbor” (4:25). Because it protected the unity of the church, the Ephesians were to always have their words and actions be about “building others up” (v. 29).

As the Holy Spirit helps us (vv. 3-4), believers in Jesus can strive for truth in their words and actions. Then the church will be unified, and God will be honored.

What will help you consistently tell the truth? How do your words reflect new life in Christ?

Dear God, please help me to put away falsehood and clothe myself in Your truth.

INSIGHT

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul wrote from prison (6:20) to a community of primarily gentile believers in Jesus (3:1; 4:17). He described a great “mystery” being unveiled (3:3)—that through Christ, Jews and gentiles were being united into one multiethnic family, or body, of believers (v. 6). And the apostle urged believers in Jesus to remain rooted in His love (vv. 16-19). This meant they must continue to throw off their old way of life and the lies of pagan culture. Instead, they were called to put on the “new self,” for God had created them to be “like [Him] in true righteousness and holiness” (4:24). “You were once darkness,” Paul emphasized, “but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)” (5:8-9).

By Marvin Williams|2024-09-06T02:33:13-04:00September 6th, 2024|

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“Ain’t No Grave”

INSIGHT

Good Congee

INSIGHT

Kingdom-Shaped Workplace

INSIGHT

Retrieval Practice

INSIGHT

Colors of Hope

INSIGHT

Spiritual Royalty

INSIGHT

Remaining in Jesus

INSIGHT

United at Last

INSIGHT

Step Out in Faith

INSIGHT

Speaking Truthfully in Christ

INSIGHT

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