Holding On

by Kay W. Camenisch

Two birds battled in our driveway.The beak of one was clamped firmly on the leg of the other and it would not let go. The captured bird wrestled frantically to break loose. They jerked, thrashed, and rolled. I sat spellbound as they continued to lurch and tumble as each fought to gain the advantage.

I spotted the birds as I was leaving home to run an errand. I don’t know how long they had been locked in combat, but it looked like a fight to death. After watching almost ten minutes, I needed to go, but the birds blocked my path. When the front tire of my car was within a foot of them, the attacking bird finally released its grip and the two flew away, free.

The battle reminded me of a time my husband, Robert, and I had struggled. We must have looked just like those fighting birds. Conflict threatened to destroy our marriage and we couldn’t seem to work through it. We kept thrashing and tumbling as we sought to gain advantage. At every turn, one - or both - of us was hurt. I thought the emotional bumps and bruises would never cease.

How God Values You

"You are of more value than many sparrows." - Luke 12:7 Read Ministry Letter Dear Loved One, The people of Jesus' day lived under the brutality of Roman rule,  diminishing their sense of human worth. So Jesus gave the example of little birds that were cheaply bought and sold to help them understand their own value to God. If not one of these relatively insignificant creatures is forgotten by God, He said, then think of the value God places on people. "The very hairs of your head are numbered," He says. There's no way to count the hairs on a person's head without being intimately close and putting your hand upon them. Jesus is telling us, "Father God is that close to you. He knows every detail, and His hand is upon your life."

Under His Wings - Christ endured the fires of judgment that we might enjoy the forgiveness of God.

by Vernon C. Grounds

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Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn

Read: 1 Peter 2:21-25

He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge. — 

Psalm 91:4

Bible in a Year:
Ezekiel 24-26; 1 Peter 2

Indian evangelist Sundar Singh wrote about a devastating forest fire in the Himalayas where he was traveling. 

While many were trying to fight it, a group of men stood looking up at a tree with flames climbing up its branches. They were watching a mother bird flying frantically in circles above the tree. She was chirping out an alarm to her nest full of fledglings. As the nest began to burn, the mother bird didn’t fly away; instead she zoomed down and covered her brood with her wings. In seconds she and her nestlings were burned to ashes.

Singh then said to the awe-stricken spectators: “We have witnessed a truly marvelous thing. God created that bird with such love and devotion that she gave her life trying to protect her young. . . . That is the love that brought Him down from heaven to become man. That is the love that made Him suffer a painful death for our sake.”

The above story is a stirring illustration of Christ’s love for us. We also stand in awe as we think of Calvary where the fire of holy judgment burned. For there Jesus willingly suffered and “bore our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24).

Lord, thank You for dying in our place. How grateful we are for all that You have done!

Under His wings I am safely abiding,
Though the night deepens and tempests are wild;
Still I can trust Him, I know He will keep me,
He has redeemed me and I am His child. — Cushing

Christ endured the fires of judgment that we might enjoy the forgiveness of God.

http://odb.org/2002/11/25/under-his-wings/

Unemployment Crisis (Picture)

Even Birds have to do other Jobs

http://pakagri.blogspot.com/2011/12/unemployment-crisis-picture.html

Did Adam name all the animals in one day?

We always need to read carefully and not add our own ideas into the Bible. For example, some people claim that Adam couldn’t have possibly named all the living creatures in one day, so they think the creation of Eve, which occurred after this event, had to take place later.

However, Genesis 2:20 says, “Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field.” It doesn’t say anything about his naming sea creatures or creeping things.

Also, “all cattle,” and “every beast of the field” (Genesis 2:20) may not mean the same thing as every “beast of the earth” (Genesis 1:24); it was probably a smaller set that represented all types of beasts of the earth.

Adam only named the animals God brought to him, and besides, he had most of the day to do it. Before the Fall, Adam’s brain was perfect, so he shouldn’t have had problems coming up with names. It has been estimated that only a few hours would be needed to name the animals.

http://www.answersingenesis.org/