Throne of Shame
A.F. Branco Cartoon – Graham Platner drops out of the Senate race, but the Democrat party is still a mess. who will replace him?
Billy Graham Daily Devotion: An Upside Down World
To an upside-down person, a right-side up person seems upside down. To a sinner, a righteous person is an oddity and an abnormality.
Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Like It or Not
“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.”
—L... View MoreTuesday, July 14, 2026
Like It or Not
“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.”
—Luke 6:27–28
One of the most difficult things about revival is that it requires us to reach out to people we would prefer to ignore. My mother was married and divorced seven times. After I became a Christian and a pastor, the Lord spoke to my heart and told me to go back to my mother’s husbands and share the gospel with them. It didn’t always go well.
One of the men—Eddie, who lived in Hawaii—had been especially cruel to my mom. He once knocked my mother unconscious with a statue. When I saw her lying on the floor, bleeding profusely, I thought she was dead. Needless to say, I had a very hard heart toward this man even after I was an adult.
But when I was in Hawaii preaching, I felt directed by the Lord to go meet with him. It was obvious that he wasn’t doing well. He lived in a tiny apartment, and he was in great pain. I told him what Christ had done for me, how He had changed me, and I invited him to come and hear me speak. He said no. He wanted nothing to do with the gospel message.
On the other hand, I also had an opportunity to talk to a man I loved. His name was Oscar Laurie. He had adopted me and treated me as a father should treat a son. But my mom left him. Years later, I sought him out too. I visited him and his wife, Barbara, in New Jersey. Over a delicious Italian dinner in their home, Barbara said, “Greg, tell me how you became a Christian and then a minister.”
As I shared my story, Oscar just stared at me. He was a retired attorney, and I felt as though I was standing before a judge giving my testimony. When I finished, he simply said, “Greg, let’s walk in the morning.”
During that walk, he said, “Greg, I was listening very carefully to what you said last night. And I would like to give my life to Jesus Christ.” He dropped to his knees in the middle of a park and prayed.
I can’t tell you for sure what happened in the lives of all the men I shared the gospel. That’s God’s department. My job was to plant the seeds. God is the One who nurtures them and causes them to grow. But to plant those seeds, I had to reach out to people who caused pain and chaos in my life.
Jesus knew how difficult it would be for His followers to obey His instructions in Luke 6:27–28: “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you” (NLT).
But He also knew that extraordinary things happen when we do.
Revival happens.
Our Daily Bread Ministries
July 14
Bible in a Year: Psalms 10-12; Acts 19:1-20
God at Work
Gideon replied, . . . “Give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.” Judges 6:17
... View MoreOur Daily Bread Ministries
July 14
Bible in a Year: Psalms 10-12; Acts 19:1-20
God at Work
Gideon replied, . . . “Give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.” Judges 6:17
READ Judges 6:36-40
Jay owned a Gideon Bible, yet his analytical mind didn’t permit him to accept its miracles. One thing haunted him, though: the genuine faith of his friend. So Jay offered a strange prayer. He told God, “If you want me to believe in You, then do something I can’t explain.”
One day, something drew Jay to look for his Bible. It was gone. How could that be? He never lost track of things.
He drove in the rain to his teaching job at the University of Zurich. Stepping out of his car, he spotted a Gideon Bible on the wet pavement. That’s strange, he thought. Picking it up, he noticed the Bible was totally dry despite the rain. Something he couldn’t explain!
Gideon Bibles are named for an Old Testament hero of Israel. When God chose Gideon to lead Israel into battle against a vast army, Gideon had huge doubts. He told God, “I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece . . . , then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand” (Judges 6:37). God answered Gideon’s challenge not once but twice (vv. 39-40).
Doubt-filled prayers aren’t a pattern for us to follow. They can, however, reveal God’s character. Gideon led a tiny army to a smashing victory (ch. 7). Jay put his faith in Jesus, recognizing that his prayer had been answered by a loving God who does things we can’t explain.
By Tim Gustafson
REFLECT & PRAY
What experiences have you had that seem beyond explanation? How do they help you see God at work?
Thank You, dear Father, that You hear my honest prayers and meet me where I am. Amen.
By his power God has raised the Lord from the dead and will also raise us from the dead. — 1 Corinthians 6:14 NCV
Today's Prayer
Lord God, I praise You as Creator and Lord of all the earth — even wi... View MoreBy his power God has raised the Lord from the dead and will also raise us from the dead. — 1 Corinthians 6:14 NCV
Today's Prayer
Lord God, I praise You as Creator and Lord of all the earth — even with the total power over death and the grave. When death threatens my own live, Lord, remind me that I need not fear it because You are the One with the ultimate power and control — even over death itself. Remind me that the last enemy to be destroyed and removed is death (1 Corinthians 15:26), and that death is not the end; but rather just a transition toward eternal life in heaven forever with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Verse of the Day
John 15:10
New American Standard Bible
... View MoreVerse of the Day
John 15:10
New American Standard Bible
If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.
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