Podcasts about Our Daily Bread

When Sun’s husband had a stroke, her life took a dramatic turn. She found herself having to assist her husband with daily living activities and cope with his emotional outbursts. For seventeen years, she’d faithfully cared for her husband. When a fall hastened his decline, however, the weight of caregiving finally became too much, and Sun sank into depression. She shared, “I felt I’d lost my faith, and I couldn’t see God.” But looking back, Sun now believes that God saw her. She believes that in very real and timely ways, He soon provided subsidized home medical and nursing care to manage her husband’s chronic condition and sent social workers to support Sun in managing the emotional challenges of caregiving. God revealed himself as the God who sees in the story of Hagar. In Genesis 16, the slave Hagar was running away from her mistress’ mistreatment (v. 6) when the angel of the Lord found her “near a spring in the desert” (v. 7). He urged Hagar to “go back to [her] mistress” (v. 9) and assured her of His blessing. Even though Hagar was a nobody in her culture, God was watching out for her well-being. In gratitude, Hagar declared: “You are the God who sees me” (v. 13). God sees us in our distress too. We’re never alone because our loving Father knows our situation, and He’s trustworthy. We can cry out to Him for help and trust that He will lift us up.

It was Tuesday at the gym, so the people walking around the track were supposed to go clockwise. The first walkers my wife joined were doing that. But then another person walked onto the track going counterclockwise. A couple of her friends joined her—and then another. Suddenly there was chaos on the track—and it took a few minutes to restore order. While no harm was intended by the wrong-way walkers, I couldn’t help but think about the power of influence. One person headed the wrong way leads to another, and on it goes. It’s a bit like Proverbs 13:20: “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” Following the lead of a person going the wrong way leads to trouble. In Galatians 5, Paul explains how such a mistake can halt our spiritual progress. “You were running a good race,” he says. “Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you” (vv. 7-8). God, who desires obedience, never leads us away from truth and “into confusion” (v. 10). But those who oppose His truth can hamper our spiritual walk by redirecting us from Him. God wants to be our guide. When we walk with Him we’ll never wander in the wrong direction.

In the late nineteenth century, few people had access to the great sequoia groves in the US, and many didn’t believe the reports of the massive trees. In 1892, however, four lumberjacks ventured into the Big Stump Forest in California and spent thirteen days felling the grand tree named Mark Twain. Twain was 1,341 years old, three hundred feet tall, and fifty feet in circumference. One observer described Twain as a tree “of magnificent proportions, one of the most perfect trees in the grove.” They shipped part of this remarkable beauty, now destroyed, to the American Museum of Natural History where everyone could see a sequoia. The reality, though, is that we can’t prove every truth with our eyes alone. Hebrews describes faith as “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). Faith isn’t irrational or a fit of fancy, because the whole story is grounded in a person—Jesus—who has entered human history. Faith includes human senses and reason, but it’s not limited to them. Faith requires more. “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command,” Hebrews says, “so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible” (v. 3). It’s often difficult to trust what we can’t touch or see or completely comprehend. But our faith in Christ, made possible by the Spirit, helps us to believe more than we can see.

The brain is remarkably small, but stress can make it even smaller. Recent research has revealed that cumulative stress can shrink the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for managing emotions, impulses, and social interactions. This shrinkage is linked to anxiety and depression, highlighting the toll that a lifetime of stress can take. But there’s good news—the brain’s plasticity allows it to heal through intentional practices like exercise, meditation, and meaningful relationships. The psalmist in Psalm 119 understood this idea of growth and healing after facing stress and hardship, “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees” (v. 71). Affliction, though painful, became the psalmist’s teacher—taking us from being “astray” from God to choosing to “obey [His] word” (v. 67). The psalmist expresses gratitude for his bitter medicine and God’s goodness (v. 68). While he understood that affliction and suffering could diminish him, he trusted God to use those experiences to refine and restore him (v. 66). Like our brains, our spirits are capable of being stretched. God uses this stretching to cause growth and renewal. Through Scripture, prayer, and a Spirit-inspired perspective, God can reverse the effects of our hardships. He can use our afflictions for our spiritual growth, transforming pain into purpose.

As a young man, journalist Sebastian Junger traveled the US and wrote about it. One day in the 1980s, he entered a restroom in the Florida Keys and found hateful graffiti scrawled on the walls. Most of it targeted Cuban immigrants. But one message, apparently from a Cuban, stood out. It read, “Thank God the rest of the people in this country are warm and caring and welcomed me in ’62.” Junger observed, “The very worst things about America were on that men’s-room wall, and the very best.” How are we to respond to the poisonous messages we so often encounter? The book of Proverbs offers sound counsel. Solomon, who compiled most of the book, brackets chapter 15 with similar imagery: “the mouth of the fool gushes folly” (v. 2), and “the mouth of the wicked gushes evil” (v. 28). The chapter begins, however, with the antidote to such venom: “A gentle answer turns away wrath” (v. 1). Solomon also noted, “The soothing tongue is a tree of life” (v. 4). Always, a patient response is key: “The heart of the righteous weighs its answers” (v. 28). How might God use our words when we ask Him to help us weigh them before our mouths, our pens, or our keyboards spew venom and vitriol at our fellow humans? As the proverb says, “How good is a timely word!” (v. 23).

Draw near to the loving heart of God and let His love fill you to overflowing. Tonight's main passage is: Ephesians 4:32-5:2.No matter what kind of day you've had, rest in hope and peace tonight as you draw near to the heart of God. This short, uplifting meditation from His Word will create a space at the end of the day for you to refocus on the goodness and nearness of the Lord, entrust your burdens to Him and fill your mind with His promises and faithfulness towards you. Tonight's meditation is read by Rebecca. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team.Send us a text message to let us know how we can make the Evening Meditations an even better experience for you!Support the showYou can now share the Evening Meditations through the updated Our Daily Bread app! If you've not done so already, download it for free from your app store.We hope that you have enjoyed this Evening Meditation from Our Daily Bread Ministries! You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: ourdailybread.org/meditation. All our funding comes from our listeners, like you, who value what we do and want to help us reach more people. You can make a donation towards our mission at eveningmeditations.org.

Join us for today's Our Daily Bread devotional by Chris Wale, taken from Judges 3:12-30. Today's devotional is read by Adeyinka. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team. God bless you.We hope that you have enjoyed today's reading from Our Daily Bread. You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following @ourdailybreadeurope on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: odb.org/subscribe

Helping you connect with God. Every day. Every way.   Read along with today's devotional: https://www.odbm.org/en/devotionals/devotional-category/positive-graffiti   Want to get Our Daily Bread's daily devotionals delivered to your inbox or mailbox? Subscribe for free here: https://odbm.org.     Our Daily Bread Ministries helps millions of people connect with God each day. For more than 75 years, our purpose has remained the same: to reach people with the life-changing wisdom of the Bible.     All Scripture from the New International Version, unless otherwise noted.    SUPPORT Our Daily Bread  Your generous support helps us make the life-changing wisdom of the Bible understandable and accessible to people around the world. https://donations.ourdailybread.org/intm9.html?motivation=INTM9     More Podcasts from Our Daily Bread:  Discover the Word: https://www.discovertheword.org   God Hears Her: https://www.godhearsher.org/podcast    Ways To Connect With Us:  Facebook: https://facebook.com/ourdailybread ​  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ourdailybread/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/ourdailybread​   Print Subscription: https://odb.org/getprint​   App: https://odb.org/mobile-resources​   Web: https://odbm.org    #ourdailybread #dailydevotional #bible  

As I opened the bookshelf assembly instructions with piles of boards and tools strewn on the floor before me, I viewed a set of instructional diagrams of what to do and what not to do. One diagram—with a large X on top—depicted a person staring at a pile of boards and tools with a bemused frown not unlike mine just a few minutes prior. On the right side was drawn the “correct” way to assemble. The only difference? A second person was there. Both figures now had smiles on their faces as they worked together. So I got my husband. “The instructions say I need your help,” I said, showing him the drawing. He laughed, and we assembled it together. I could have stubbornly tried to find a way to put it together on my own. But the manual was right; the process wasn’t meant to be done alone. In Romans 12, Paul urged new believers to not try to do life in Jesus alone. Instead of seeing themselves as self-sufficient and thinking of themselves “more highly than [they] ought” (v. 3), they needed to see themselves as part of an interdependent body, where every member needs each other’s help (vv. 4-8). As Jesus helps us learn how to “be devoted to one another in love” (v. 10), we can experience life “in harmony” with each other, where one another’s needs, griefs, and joys (vv. 13, 15) are never carried alone.

Find refreshment and peace in the Lord's presence as you settle to sleep. Tonight's key passages is: Philemon 1:4-7.No matter what kind of day you've had, rest in hope and peace tonight as you draw near to the heart of God. This short, uplifting meditation from His Word will create a space at the end of the day for you to refocus on the goodness and nearness of the Lord, entrust your burdens to Him and fill your mind with His promises and faithfulness towards you. Tonight's meditation is read by James. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team.Send us a text message to let us know how we can make the Evening Meditations an even better experience for you!Support the showYou can now share the Evening Meditations through the updated Our Daily Bread app! If you've not done so already, download it for free from your app store.We hope that you have enjoyed this Evening Meditation from Our Daily Bread Ministries! You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: ourdailybread.org/meditation. All our funding comes from our listeners, like you, who value what we do and want to help us reach more people. You can make a donation towards our mission at eveningmeditations.org.

Join us for today's Our Daily Bread devotional by Monica La Rose, taken from Romans 12:3-15. Today's devotional is read by Peta. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team. God bless you.We hope that you have enjoyed today's reading from Our Daily Bread. You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following @ourdailybreadeurope on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: odb.org/subscribe

Helping you connect with God. Every day. Every way.   Read along with today's devotional: https://www.odbm.org/en/devotionals/devotional-category/dont-do-this-alone  Want to get Our Daily Bread's daily devotionals delivered to your inbox or mailbox? Subscribe for free here: https://odbm.org.     Our Daily Bread Ministries helps millions of people connect with God each day. For more than 75 years, our purpose has remained the same: to reach people with the life-changing wisdom of the Bible.     All Scripture from the New International Version, unless otherwise noted.    SUPPORT Our Daily Bread  Your generous support helps us make the life-changing wisdom of the Bible understandable and accessible to people around the world. https://donations.ourdailybread.org/intm9.html?motivation=INTM9     More Podcasts from Our Daily Bread:  Discover the Word: https://www.discovertheword.org   God Hears Her: https://www.godhearsher.org/podcast    Ways To Connect With Us:  Facebook: https://facebook.com/ourdailybread ​  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ourdailybread/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/ourdailybread​   Print Subscription: https://odb.org/getprint​   App: https://odb.org/mobile-resources​   Web: https://odbm.org    #ourdailybread #dailydevotional #bible  

Pedro became a follower of Jesus at fifty. He’d been an angry, vindictive man who hurt those around him. As he received counseling from his church, he felt remorse over his past. “I now have less years ahead of me than behind me,” he said. “I want to live them well. But how?” Pedro found his answer in an unlikely source─a genealogy. As he read Moses’ account of Adam’s family line, he noted that one sentence was repeated to describe Adam’s descendants: “ ‘Altogether, [name] lived a total of [number] years, and then he died” (see Genesis 5:8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 27, 31). But one man was described differently.” Enoch was described as one who “walked faithfully with God” (vv. 22, 24). He drew near to God, and that’s how he spent his earthly life. Because of his faith, “he was commended as one who pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5). Enoch had a steadfast, abiding trust in who God was and what He’d do for those who sought Him (v. 6). He expressed his trust in the Almighty by acting on it and obeying Him, and his faith was such that God spared him from physical death (v. 5). “How can I live my years well?” Pedro asked. “By walking faithfully with God.” Our earthly life doesn’t have to be summed up in just a number. It can be summed up in our faith, which allows God to work in more ways than we can count.

Reflect with thankfulness on the gifts God has given you with Exodus 4 tonight. No matter what kind of day you've had, rest in hope and peace tonight as you draw near to the heart of God. This short, uplifting meditation from His Word will create a space at the end of the day for you to refocus on the goodness and nearness of the Lord, entrust your burdens to Him and fill your mind with His promises and faithfulness towards you. Tonight's meditation is read by Andrew. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team.Send us a text message to let us know how we can make the Evening Meditations an even better experience for you!Support the showYou can now share the Evening Meditations through the updated Our Daily Bread app! If you've not done so already, download it for free from your app store.We hope that you have enjoyed this Evening Meditation from Our Daily Bread Ministries! You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: ourdailybread.org/meditation. All our funding comes from our listeners, like you, who value what we do and want to help us reach more people. You can make a donation towards our mission at eveningmeditations.org.

Join us for today's Our Daily Bread devotional by Karen Huang, taken from Genesis 5:21-24. Today's devotional is read by Lucy. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team. God bless you.We hope that you have enjoyed today's reading from Our Daily Bread. You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following @ourdailybreadeurope on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: odb.org/subscribe

Born Mary Flannery O’Connor, she’s best known as Flannery O’Connor, one of the American South’s most celebrated writers. Her stories brim with suffering and grace. When her beloved father died of lupus when she was fifteen, a devastated O’Connor threw herself into writing her first novel. Soon she herself was diagnosed with lupus, an incurable disease that took her life at thirty-nine. O’Connor’s writing reflects her physical and mental anguish. Novelist Alice McDermott said, “It was the illness I think that made her the writer that she is.” We don’t know what the apostle Paul’s “thorn” was (2 Corinthians 12:7), though many have offered conjecture. We do know that Paul said, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me” (v. 8). We also know God didn’t do so (v. 9). This humbled Paul. He notes how it kept him “from becoming conceited” (v. 7). Paul’s thorn formed him and made him the apostle that he was. But the thorn wasn’t all, for with the thorn came God’s sufficient grace and perfecting power, so the tormented apostle could declare, “When I am weak, then I am strong” (v. 10). The thorns in our lives, whatever they may be, form us. They make us who we are. But the thorns aren’t all there is. As Paul and Flannery O’Connor and countless others have witnessed over the long arc of human history: God’s grace is sufficient for us.

In a temporary, uncertain, unstable world, enjoy a few minutes resting in 1 Peter 1:22-25 and the promise that God's Word remains the same—always.No matter what kind of day you've had, rest in hope and peace tonight as you draw near to the heart of God. This short, uplifting meditation from His Word will create a space at the end of the day for you to refocus on the goodness and nearness of the Lord, entrust your burdens to Him and fill your mind with His promises and faithfulness towards you. Tonight's meditation is read by Howie. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team.Send us a text message to let us know how we can make the Evening Meditations an even better experience for you!Support the showYou can now share the Evening Meditations through the updated Our Daily Bread app! If you've not done so already, download it for free from your app store.We hope that you have enjoyed this Evening Meditation from Our Daily Bread Ministries! You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: ourdailybread.org/meditation. All our funding comes from our listeners, like you, who value what we do and want to help us reach more people. You can make a donation towards our mission at eveningmeditations.org.

Join us for today's Our Daily Bread devotional by Chris Wale, taken from Luke 22:7-13. Today's devotional is read by Adeyinka. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team. God bless you.We hope that you have enjoyed today's reading from Our Daily Bread. You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following @ourdailybreadeurope on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: odb.org/subscribe 

On May 29, 1925, Percy Fawcett sent a final letter to his wife before he ventured deeper into the unmapped jungles of Brazil. He was seeking a fabled lost city of great splendor, determined to be the first explorer to share its location with the world after years of searching. But his team of explorers got lost, the city was never found, and many expeditions failed to recover either. Percy’s courage and passion, while admirable, was squandered on a lost city that could never be reached. If we’re honest, there are many unreachable goals in our lives that hold a similar power over us. But there is a real treasure for each person that’s worth seeking with all of our heart, mind, and strength. In his letter to believers in Philippi, Paul put it this way: “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8). Unlike a fabled city—yielding riches, fame, or power—knowing Jesus and believing in Him is a treasure without equal. It’s the very thing for which we have been made. Worldly goals of power or status, or even the appearance of righteousness through keeping the law, are nothing compared to knowing Jesus (vv. 6–7). Are we spending our time and energy on something that can never satisfy? May Christ help us check what “city” we’re seeking.

End your day entrusting your times to the Lord's plans. No matter what kind of day you've had, rest in hope and peace tonight as you draw near to the heart of God. This short, uplifting meditation from His Word will create a space at the end of the day for you to refocus on the goodness and nearness of the Lord, entrust your burdens to Him and fill your mind with His promises and faithfulness towards you. Tonight's meditation is read by Lucy. Meet the team at https://bit.ly/3WDJ3eU.Send us a text message to let us know how we can make the Evening Meditations an even better experience for you!Support the showYou can now share the Evening Meditations through the updated Our Daily Bread app! If you've not done so already, download it for free from your app store.We hope that you have enjoyed this Evening Meditation from Our Daily Bread Ministries! You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: ourdailybread.org/meditation. All our funding comes from our listeners, like you, who value what we do and want to help us reach more people. You can make a donation towards our mission at eveningmeditations.org.

Join us for today's Our Daily Bread devotional by Karen Pimpo, taken from Philippians 3:1-9. Today's devotional is read by Lorraine. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team. God bless you.We hope that you have enjoyed today's reading from Our Daily Bread. You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following @ourdailybreadeurope on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: odb.org/subscribe

One Thanksgiving I called home to greet my parents. As we talked, I asked my mom what she was most grateful for. She exclaimed that she was most grateful that “all three of my children know how to call on the name of the Lord.” For my mother, who’d always emphasized the importance of education, there was something more valuable than her children doing well in school and taking care of themselves. Her sentiments remind me of Proverbs 22:6: “Start children off on the way they should go, and when they are old they will not turn from it.” While this isn’t a promise, and many children do wander from God for a least a season of life, she and my father had strived to raise us to humbly, reverently love God (v. 4)—primarily through example. Now, by His grace, they were able to see us grow older and benefit from a personal relationship with Him. As verse two says, God is “the Maker of . . . all.” And although some children will respond to loving instruction in Christ, others might take longer to perhaps hear His voice. For those precious children, we continue to pray and rest in God’s timing. Mom’s humble thanksgiving points to what’s most important in life. Reverently loving God yields spiritual riches for this life and beyond (v. 4). And while we can’t control what children will choose do, we can rest in the hope that God will lovingly continue to work in their hearts.

Stand upon the Rock with Psalm 18 and meditate on the One who remains steady and faithful, even as the storms of life rage around you.No matter what kind of day you've had, rest in hope and peace tonight as you draw near to the heart of God. This short, uplifting meditation from His Word will create a space at the end of the day for you to refocus on the goodness and nearness of the Lord, entrust your burdens to Him and fill your mind with His promises and faithfulness towards you. Tonight's meditation is read by Howie. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team.Send us a text message to let us know how we can make the Evening Meditations an even better experience for you!Support the showYou can now share the Evening Meditations through the updated Our Daily Bread app! If you've not done so already, download it for free from your app store.We hope that you have enjoyed this Evening Meditation from Our Daily Bread Ministries! You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: ourdailybread.org/meditation. All our funding comes from our listeners, like you, who value what we do and want to help us reach more people. You can make a donation towards our mission at eveningmeditations.org.

Pastor Matthew Moldstad preaches on Matthew 6:9a, 11 with the theme Give Thanks to God for Our Daily Bread.

Join us for today's Our Daily Bread devotional by Anne Le Tissier, taken from Proverbs 25:28. Today's devotional is read by Rebecca. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team. God bless you.We hope that you have enjoyed today's reading from Our Daily Bread. You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following @ourdailybreadeurope on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: odb.org/subscribe

When I was a little girl, I loved the old hymn “Count Your Blessings.” The song encourages those who are “tempest-tossed” and “thinking all is lost” to “count your blessings, name them one by one.” Years later when my husband, Alan, was discouraged, he would often ask me to sing that simple song to him. Then I would help him to enumerate his blessings. Doing so took Alan’s focus off his struggles and self-doubt and centered his thoughts on God and his reasons for thankfulness. The book of Ezra describes God’s people facing overwhelming challenges through focusing on God’s power and provision. After they’d endured decades of captivity in Babylon, King Cyrus allowed the Jewish exiles to return to Israel to rebuild the temple (Ezra 1-2). Only a fraction returned (2:64). Despite their “fear of the peoples around them” and the great task before them, they rebuilt the altar and laid the temple’s foundation (3:3, 10). Then “with praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: ‘He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.’ And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord” (3:11). If you’re discouraged or facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles, turn your thoughts toward God. “Count your blessings . . . and it will surprise you what the Lord has done,” and continues to do, for those who love Him.

Find strength for your heart tonight with the uplifting and fortifying words of Psalm 31.No matter what kind of day you've had, rest in hope and peace tonight as you draw near to the heart of God. This short, uplifting meditation from His Word will create a space at the end of the day for you to refocus on the goodness and nearness of the Lord, entrust your burdens to Him and fill your mind with His promises and faithfulness towards you. Tonight's meditation is read by Rebecca. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team.Send us a text message to let us know how we can make the Evening Meditations an even better experience for you!Support the showYou can now share the Evening Meditations through the updated Our Daily Bread app! If you've not done so already, download it for free from your app store.We hope that you have enjoyed this Evening Meditation from Our Daily Bread Ministries! You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: ourdailybread.org/meditation. All our funding comes from our listeners, like you, who value what we do and want to help us reach more people. You can make a donation towards our mission at eveningmeditations.org.

Join us for today's Our Daily Bread devotional by Alyson Kieda, taken from Ezra 3:1, 4-6, 9-11. Today's devotional is read by Peta. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team. God bless you.We hope that you have enjoyed today's reading from Our Daily Bread. You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following @ourdailybreadeurope on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: odb.org/subscribe

When I was younger, I thought it improper to ask God to help me meet writing deadlines. Other people have greater needs, I told myself. Family problems. Health crises. Job letdowns. Financial needs. I’ve faced all those things, too. But meeting a writing deadline seemed too small to take to God. I changed my view, however, after finding multiple examples in the Bible of God helping people regardless of the challenge they faced. In one story, the Israelites were dismayed because they faced an attack at Mizpah by their enemies, the Philistines. “[The Israelites] said to Samuel, ‘Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines’ ” (1 Samuel 7:8). In response, Samuel sacrificed a lamb to God, crying out to Him on Israel’s behalf, “and the Lord answered him” (v. 9). “While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites” (v. 10). Later, “Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us’ ” (v. 12). Samuel placed the stone to commemorate God helping His people. Ebenezer means “stone of help.” Asking God for help is always proper. Let’s call out to Him today.

Sunday Sermon | November 23, 2025: Our Daily Bread by Harrisburg BIC Church

Come and know the One who loves to help His people.No matter what kind of day you've had, rest in hope and peace tonight as you draw near to the heart of God. This short, uplifting meditation from His Word will create a space at the end of the day for you to refocus on the goodness and nearness of the Lord, entrust your burdens to Him and fill your mind with His promises and faithfulness towards you. Tonight's meditation is read by Andrew. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team.Send us a text message to let us know how we can make the Evening Meditations an even better experience for you!Support the showYou can now share the Evening Meditations through the updated Our Daily Bread app! If you've not done so already, download it for free from your app store.We hope that you have enjoyed this Evening Meditation from Our Daily Bread Ministries! You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: ourdailybread.org/meditation. All our funding comes from our listeners, like you, who value what we do and want to help us reach more people. You can make a donation towards our mission at eveningmeditations.org.

Join us for today's Our Daily Bread devotional by Patricia Raybon, taken from 1 Samuel 7:7-12. Today's devotional is read by Lucy. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team. God bless you.We hope that you have enjoyed today's reading from Our Daily Bread. You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following @ourdailybreadeurope on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: odb.org/subscribe

Alida took a DNA test in 2020 and discovered a strong match to a man living on the opposite coast of the US. Later, she and her daughters found news articles from the 1950s that led them to conclude that the man was Alida’s long-lost uncle, Luis! He’d been abducted from a park in 1951 when he was six years old. That DNA test, taken seventy years after Luis’ disappearance, eventually led to a happy reunion with his biological family members. Alida said, “With [our] story out there, it could help other families . . . . I would say, don’t give up.” Seventy years is a long time to keep hope alive. Jeremiah and the people of Judah must have been heartbroken and fearful when God said they would “serve the king of Babylon seventy years” (Jeremiah 25:11). But they hadn’t listened to God and turned from their “evil ways and . . . practices” (v. 5), which had deformed them into “an object of horror and scorn” (v. 9). The people were condemned more than thirty times in Jeremiah for not listening to Him. Seventy years might have felt like forever, but God would be with them, and He promised that the hard season would eventually end (29:10). As we face challenging seasons that seem to go on and on, let’s remember that while we may struggle to trust God, He promises that He’s with us and loves us (v. 11). As we listen to Him and wait expectantly, we can find hope.

Relieve your doubts and drop the burdens of your day as 1 John 4 reminds you of the truth of your bond with Christ.No matter what kind of day you've had, rest in hope and peace tonight as you draw near to the heart of God. This short, uplifting meditation from His Word will create a space at the end of the day for you to refocus on the goodness and nearness of the Lord, entrust your burdens to Him and fill your mind with His promises and faithfulness towards you. Tonight's meditation is read by Maddy. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team.Send us a text message to let us know how we can make the Evening Meditations an even better experience for you!Support the showYou can now share the Evening Meditations through the updated Our Daily Bread app! If you've not done so already, download it for free from your app store.We hope that you have enjoyed this Evening Meditation from Our Daily Bread Ministries! You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: ourdailybread.org/meditation. All our funding comes from our listeners, like you, who value what we do and want to help us reach more people. You can make a donation towards our mission at eveningmeditations.org.

Join us for today's Our Daily Bread devotional by Tom Felten, taken from Jeremiah 25:4-11. Today's devotional is read by Andrew. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team. God bless you.We hope that you have enjoyed today's reading from Our Daily Bread. You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following @ourdailybreadeurope on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: odb.org/subscribe

Mario was a 28-year-old crack and alcohol addict who was imprisoned for burglary. At his sentencing the judge said he was “a waste of a human life.” Mario sadly agreed. Midway through his jail time he saw an advertisement for a journalism contest. It piqued Mario’s interest, and he enrolled in a nearby university. He was hooked. Mario loved working on news stories, and after his release he finished his master’s degree in journalism and now writes for The New York Times. He’s a waste no more! The life of the demon-possessed man living in the tombs seemed a waste to anyone who knew him. His neighbors bound him with chains for their protection and his, but “he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet” (Mark 5:4). He ran back to the tombs where “night and day . . . he would cry out and cut himself with stones” (v. 5). Then he was changed forever. Jesus cast out the man’s demons and returned him to normal society. The town was amazed to find him “sitting there, dressed and in his right mind” (v. 15). The grateful man wanted to sail away with Christ, but He said no. “Go home to your own people,” said Jesus, “and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you” (v. 19). This man’s mission is our mission. Let’s tell others about Christ. Because of Him, no one’s life is a waste.

End your day entrusting your life and its paths to the One who knows the way. No matter what kind of day you've had, rest in hope and peace tonight as you draw near to the heart of God. This short, uplifting meditation from His Word will create a space at the end of the day for you to refocus on the goodness and nearness of the Lord, entrust your burdens to Him and fill your mind with His promises and faithfulness towards you. Tonight's meditation is read by Adeyinka. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team.Send us a text message to let us know how we can make the Evening Meditations an even better experience for you!Support the showYou can now share the Evening Meditations through the updated Our Daily Bread app! If you've not done so already, download it for free from your app store.We hope that you have enjoyed this Evening Meditation from Our Daily Bread Ministries! You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: ourdailybread.org/meditation. All our funding comes from our listeners, like you, who value what we do and want to help us reach more people. You can make a donation towards our mission at eveningmeditations.org.

My father first locked eyes on my mother at a party in London. Next he gate-crashed a second party, then organized a third, just to see her again. Finally, he asked Mum out for a country drive, picking her up in his old Rover sedan—his treasured possession. Mum and dad became sweethearts, but there was a problem. Mum was about to move to Peru to become a missionary. Dad took her to the airport, then five months later arrived in Peru himself—to propose to her. And the best part of the story? He’d sold his beloved Rover to pay for the plane ticket. If you would’ve asked Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, what her most treasured possession was, she’d have shown you a precious bottle of “expensive perfume” (John 12:3). And if you’d have been at the party she and Martha threw for Jesus (v. 2) and watched her lavish that bottle’s contents on his feet, you’d have known just what Jesus meant to her. He was that precious, that valuable. For my mother, Dad selling his car wasn’t just about a plane ticket. It was a sign of how much he valued her. And Mary’s actions had deeper meaning too—she was preparing Jesus for His burial (v. 7). Like her, when we sacrifice for God what we treasure most, we take part in His redemptive work by echoing His great sacrifice for us.

Let Psalm 51:4-7 remind you that your heart is as white as snow when you turn back to God for His forgiveness and grace.No matter what kind of day you've had, rest in hope and peace tonight as you draw near to the heart of God. This short, uplifting meditation from His Word will create a space at the end of the day for you to refocus on the goodness and nearness of the Lord, entrust your burdens to Him and fill your mind with His promises and faithfulness towards you. Tonight's meditation is read by Rebecca. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team.Send us a text message to let us know how we can make the Evening Meditations an even better experience for you!Support the showYou can now share the Evening Meditations through the updated Our Daily Bread app! If you've not done so already, download it for free from your app store.We hope that you have enjoyed this Evening Meditation from Our Daily Bread Ministries! You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by following us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. You can even sign up to receive Our Daily Bread Bible reading notes sent straight to your door for free: ourdailybread.org/meditation. All our funding comes from our listeners, like you, who value what we do and want to help us reach more people. You can make a donation towards our mission at eveningmeditations.org.

Two pilots fell asleep in the middle of their flight over Indonesia. While the commanding pilot had permission to nap once the plane reached cruising altitude, he woke up to find that his co-pilot had also dozed off. The two were asleep for about thirty minutes with more than 150 passengers and crew on board and while at approximately 36,000 feet altitude. The plane had veered off course, but thankfully, the plane still arrived at its destination safely. Human pilots may snooze mid-flight, but we can rest assured that God never falls asleep. I find such comfort in the words of Psalm 121. In eight verses, we’re reminded that God is omniscient, or all-knowing, about our life; omnipresent, or present all throughout our day; and omnipotent, or all-powerful, and can protect us. The psalmist declares that our help comes from God (v. 2). He is our keeper and shade (v. 5), and He guards us from all evil while preserving our soul (v. 7). God never gets tired. “He will not let your foot slip; he who watches over you will not slumber” (v. 3). “The Lord will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore” (v. 8). When we’re wondering if God has forgotten us, we can rest assured that He is at the wheel. He is always awake and watching over us.

Do you ever feel like a fraud? You aren’t alone! In the late 1970s two researchers identified “imposter syndrome” as the condition of doubting one’s skills, talents, or abilities and interpreting ourselves as a fraud. Even successful and brilliant people struggle with inadequacy, worrying that if anyone peeked behind the curtain of their lives, they’d see how much they don’t know. Paul exhorts the people of the first-century church in Rome to be humble. “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment” (Romans 12:3). We understand the importance of not elevating our abilities. But when we doubt our own value, we go too far, robbing others of the gifts God wants us to use to serve Him. To think of ourselves with “sober judgment” (v. 3) is to have a sane estimation—a realistic regard—for what we offer. Paul nudges us to overcome our hesitancies, to embrace who we are “in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you” (v. 3). In this way, God’s body of believers may be built up (vv. 4–8). Rather than degrading our offerings with imposter syndrome, let’s embrace God’s giftings within us. By gratefully accepting God’s grace, we can think neither too highly nor too lowly of ourselves. In doing so, we please our Father and build up His body of believers.

The freelance project wasn’t working out well. The clients were demanding what seemed to be the impossible, and I was stressed and discouraged. My first reaction was just to walk away from it, which would mean not getting paid for the work I’d done—and also eliminating the possibility of future projects with them. Then the thought came to me: Have you prayed to God yet? Mentally slapping my forehead, I realized that I’d neglected to ask God for help! And so I prayed . . . and immediately felt better. Nothing had changed—the project remained challenging—but I felt peace wash over me. Now, I knew I could rest in God: I’d just do whatever I could and leave the outcome to Him. Perhaps David felt the same way when he submitted his fears and worries to God. In Psalm 6, he started off describing his anguish at being hounded by his enemies (Psalm 6:3, 7). But as he continued turning to God for help, he felt reassured: “The Lord has heard my cry . . . the Lord accepts my prayer” (v. 9). That truth came with the hope that he would be delivered, in God’s time and way (v. 10). Prayer isn’t some feel-good technique, but it’s a direct connection with an all-seeing, all-powerful God who will help us in His time and way. Feeling down or discouraged? Just pray—God hears.

Physician Christian Ntizimira sensed God’s calling to provide end-of-life care in under-resourced areas of his home country of Rwanda. Colleagues often didn’t see the value of such care because “these patients were already considered hopeless.” But Ntizimira found that for patients and their families, his “presence offered a rekindling of hope when all seemed lost.” Ntizimira is grounded in his work by the conviction that Jesus’ death and life can transform how we approach death because “the death of Christ is the source of life.” In 2 Timothy, the apostle Paul testified to how the reality that Jesus “destroyed death and . . . brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (1:10) changed how he understood his suffering. Though Paul was a prisoner facing possible execution (2:9), Jesus’ resurrection grounded him in his calling—to point others to salvation through Christ (v. 10). For “if we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him” (vv. 11-12). Dying with Jesus doesn’t just mean what happens at believers’ literal deaths. In his letter to the Romans, Paul explained that, as symbolized in baptism, believers are united with Christ’s Spirit in His death and resurrection life (Romans 6:4-8). Because Jesus lives in us, even when we face death’s terrors, we can live for and witness to Him.

Could eight minutes change someone’s life? In a world where meaningful connections can be rare, author Jancee Dunn proposes the power of an eight-minute phone call. She believes such brief calls can help us connect with family and friends. Studies show that such calls a few times a week help reduce depression, loneliness, and anxiety. And Dunn cites the research of other experts who affirm that minor relationship adjustments can profoundly affect our well-being and that of others. This insight aligns with Proverbs 12:25, which states, “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.” In this verse, anxiety refers to a person’s emotional response to a threat to their well-being. Being anxious can also stem from fear and uncertainty about the future. For believers in Jesus, reassuring and encouraging words can help transform others’ anxiety into cheerfulness and lead to real life (v. 28). Those words can also provide signposts to help others “choose their friends carefully” (v. 26). Let’s pray and ask God who might need an eight-minute call with encouraging words based in Scripture. Though brief, this simple act of connection might just be the spark He uses to lighten someone’s load, brighten their day, and offer them hope and healing.

Locals call it “The Road to Nowhere,” but its official name is Lakeview Drive. It’s a scenic six-mile stretch overlooking Fontana Lake in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Bryson City, North Carolina. After the road goes through a 1200-foot-long tunnel blasted out of a granite mountainside, it abruptly stops. The government spent millions of dollars until environmental concerns discovered later ended the project. Jesus, who was a carpenter by trade, once told a construction parable about counting the cost of following Him. “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower,” He asked. “Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” (Luke 14:28). Another parable follows about a king who considers the cost of going to war, and it makes the same point. Speaking to the “large crowds . . . traveling” with Him (v. 25), Jesus wanted them to understand that there was a cost to sincerely believing in and following Him. Following Jesus only because of what He can do for us is a “road to nowhere.” But following Him for Him—turning daily from sin and self-focus to live for Him and His kingdom (carrying our “cross,” as He put it in v. 27)—changes everything. The cost must be counted. But He’s worth it.

For her daily devotions, Julie began singing the Scriptures. “As I sang, my heart and mind actually began to do and believe what I was singing about!” Through vocalizing God’s Word in song, Julie wanted His truth to shed light on the things she disliked about herself, such as her voice and her height. She said: “I began to sing from Song of Solomon 1:5: ‘Dark I am, yet lovely.’ ” (In that agrarian culture, a woman tanned by the sun wasn’t seen as beautiful.) Singing this Scripture passage, God changed her thoughts. Suddenly she understood: “God loves me even though I am not perfect.” Julie sang from a beautiful poem from the Old Testament’s Wisdom Literature. Some people interpret the Song of Songs as an allegory of God’s love for His people, but many view it as a celebration of marital love. In witnessing the beauty of the couple’s commitment to each other, we can echo the friends’ words: “We rejoice and delight in you; we will praise your love more than wine” (v. 4). However we interpret these ancient words, we can affirm with Julie that God revels in His chosen people. As He says elsewhere in the Old Testament: “You are precious and honored in my sight, and . . . I love you” (Isaiah 43:4).

When a country erupted in civil war, authorities conscripted a man into military service. However, he objected. “I don’t want any part in destroying [my country].” So he left it. Because he didn’t have proper visas, however, he eventually found himself stuck in another country’s airport. For months, airport employees gave the man food and thousands followed his tweets as he roamed terminals, knitted scarves, and clung to hope. Hearing of his perpetual plight, a community in Canada, raised money, and found him a job and a house. Lamentations presents the cry of Jeremiah who waited for God and the end of His discipline for the sins of his people. The prophet remained confident in an everlasting God who he knew could be trusted. “The Lord is good to those who hope in him” (3:25). God’s people can experience hope even when troubles overwhelm and relief seems impossible. Though they might need to “[bury their] face in the dust” and humbly accept God’s discipline, they can cling to the reality that “there may yet be hope” (v. 29). However desperate the situation, those who know God can experience a hope that flows from Him. “It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (v. 26). Without answers or any clear way of escape, we wait for God to help us. We wait, with hope, for the God who’s proven Himself faithful over and over again.

One of the deadliest wildfires in US history decimated the town of Lahaina, Hawaii, in August 2023, killing ninety-nine people and destroying more than two thousand buildings. Still reeling from the devastation, residents experienced additional trauma when some looters pillaged buildings and greedy realtors attempted to gobble up land. The corrupt desire to take advantage of tragic circumstances is the backdrop of a strong message from God to the nation of Edom. The prophet Obadiah warned the Edomites, Israel’s enemies for generations (Ezekiel 35:5), of God’s coming justice because the Edomites used their geographic advantage (Obadiah 1:3), acquired wealth (v. 6), alliances with other nations (v. 7), wisdom (v. 8) and military strength (v. 9) to exploit the weak. Obadiah also rebuked the way Edom gloated as Israel was sent into captivity. Instead of compassion, Edom looted Israelite homes and marched through defeated cities in victory (vv. 12-13). Although Lahaina residents saw despicable actions, they also experienced kindness when churches on the island became hospitality centers offering shelter, hot meals, and emergency supplies. When someone is suffering, we face a similar choice. We can try to benefit from their loss. Or we can respond in the way God desires, like the churches in Lahaina, with kindness and generosity.

Each fall in my youth, my grandmother got the JCPenney Christmas catalog. With a zealous delight, I spirited it away to ponder its marvelous images. These days, those images show up on our smartphones daily—the algorithmic distillation of our hopes and dreams, a personalized feed tailored to us. It’s easy to get lost in them. Recently, experts have named this digital phenomenon dreamscrolling. A survey conducted by OnePoll indicates that the average U.S. smartphone user dreamscrolls more than two hours a day! The images that tantalize our hearts invite us to hope, to believe, that if we just had this one thing, it would all be good. Scripture, in contrast, invites us to relinquish our grip on material things. In 1 Peter 1:3-4, we read, “In [God’s] great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.” Peter contrasts our temporal yearnings with the promise of something that will satisfy: placing our hope in God’s grace. Later, he adds, “Set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming” (v. 13). Truth? I’m a dreamscroller. But I’m asking God to help me gradually learn to live into His bigger hope, to set my desire fully on Him.

Late autumn 1941. The Sunday service had just concluded. As their father lingered at the little north-country church, my dad and his siblings walked the short distance home. When their father came up the snowy hill to the farmhouse, he was crying. He’d just learned Pearl Harbor had been bombed. His sons—my dad included—would be going to war. Dad always recalled the moment in vivid detail. Researchers call such events “flashbulb memories”—moments seared into our minds. Think of 9/11, or the day you lost someone close. Think too of your most joyous experience. Imagine the flashbulb memories of Jesus’ disciples. They witnessed miracle after miracle. Suddenly, catastrophe struck. The Son of God was arrested and crucified. But then, resurrection! Mary Magdalene hurried to tell the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:18). Still, the disciples hid in fear. They didn’t believe the news (Luke 24:11), not until “Jesus came and stood among them” (John 20:19). Then, “The disciples were overjoyed” (v. 20). John recorded some of those moments, saying, “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (v. 31). “Flashbulb memories” with eternal significance.