OUR DAILY BREAD : LEARNING FROM LINCOLN

[cimi]

February 12
Thursday


LEARNING
FROM LINCOLN

READ:
Proverbs 3:1-8
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In all your ways
acknowledge Him
and he shall direct
your paths.
__Proverbs 3:6
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The day before his 52nd birthday, Abraham Lincoln left Springfield, Illinois, to become President of the United States. With the threat of civil war looming, he said goodbye to the friends and neighbors who had come to see him off. "I now leave," he told them, "not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington. Without the assistance of the Divine Being who ever attended him, I cannot succeed. With that assistance I cannot fail. Trusting in him who can go with me, and remain with you, and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell."

Lincoln's reliance on God for guidance and strength reflects the instruction of Solomon: "Trust in the LORD with all your ways heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct you paths" (Prov. 3:5-6).

On this 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth, we celebrate his kindness, integrity, and courage. And we can also learn from him how to face a daunting future with confident hope in the Lord. __David McCasland
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``````````````Into His hands I lay the fears that haunt me,``````````
````````````````The dread of future ills that may befall;````````````
``````````````Into His hands I lay the doubts that taunt me,`````````
```````````And rest securely, trusting Him for all. __Christiansen`````
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Living without trust in God is like driving in the fog.

**************Today's Bible reading __ Roverbs 3:1-8**************

1 My son, do not forget my
law, but let your heart keep
my commands; 2 or length
of days and long life and
peace they will add to you.

3 Let not mercy and truth
forsake you; bind them
around your neck, write
them on the tablet of your
heart, 4 and so find favor
and high esteem in the sight
of God and man.

5 Trust in the LORD with
all your heart, and lean not
on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways
acknowledge Him, and He
shall direct your paths.

7 Do not be wise in your
won eyes; fear the LORD
and depart from evil. 8 It
will be health to your flesh,
and strength to your bones.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Just as the book of Proverbs instructs us to ask for God's leading in
our lives, the apostle Paul sought God's direction. As a result, he
was given a vision of a man of Macedonia expressing interest in the
gospel. His plea was: "Come over to Macedonia and help us" (Acts
16:9). The vision may have not only signified Macedonian openness
to the gospel but also the receptivity of people throughout all of
Rome's Western Empire. God had allowed the Gentile peoples to
walk in their own ways (Acts 14:2). Now at last Israel was aligned to
carry out her original mission of being a guide to lead the Gentiles
to God. The instrument God chose to use was the apostle Paul.
__Dennis fisher

__Adapted from Jamieson, Fausset and Brown