DAILY BREAD, TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2007

When Jesus Was Confronted By The Jewish Leaders

Neal Pollard

In the last week of His life, Jesus was confronted in turn by the three major factions of the Jewish religious leaders. We read the account of this in Matthew 22. These three groups shared some beliefs in common, but also all existed because they had differing political and religious ideas. The Pharisees seem to have been more convicted about oral traditions and scribal opinion than the written law and prophets. The Herodians were more politically motivated, were Jewish activists, and were not thought to be nearly so strict as the Pharisees in religious matters. Some, like Freeman (The New Manners & Customs of the Bible), suggest that they were actually of the Boethusian branch of the Sadducee party. The Sadducees, though not at all enamored with the oral traditions of the rabbis, only accepted the books of Moses, the first five books of the Old Testament. This failure to accept the entire Old Testament canon led them to hold false views.

Jesus was confronted in turn by these three groups because, despite their differences, they had one strong, common bond. They wanted to trap Jesus. The Pharisees “plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk” (Matt. 22:15). The Pharisees sent Jesus to the Herodians with the anticipation that they might pose a dilemma for Him that He could not solve, and Jesus regarded the Herodians as wicked in their intention (Matt. 22:15,18). The Sadducees also pose what they thought was an unsolvable problem concerning the resurrection, and Jesus corrects and silences them (Matt. 22:23-34). It is interesting to see what sorts of issues they raised for Jesus to consider. The politically-motivated Herodians had a question about taxes, the doctrinally-prejudiced Sadduccees had a question about the resurrection they already denied, and the traditionally-biased Pharisees asked a question about the law they saw as comparatively inferior. So, they came to Jesus with what they thought they knew best and with preconceived ideas in mind.

Jesus answered each of them masterfully. He gave the Herodians an answer about taxes they could not deny. They were amazed and gave up their efforts. He gave the Sadducees an answer they could not rebut and one that astonished the multitudes. He answered the Pharisee lawyer’s question about the law and then posed a follow-up question to the whole group of Pharisees that was so powerful the Bible says, “And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore” (Matt. 22:46).

There are several observations that can be made from these confrontations. First, they were the ones with an “axe to grind” and not Jesus. Second, they were the ones filled with animosity and not Jesus. Third, they issued the challenge and Jesus merely met their unbelief with divine truth. Fourth, their efforts to discredit and trap Jesus utterly failed. He shined more brightly after the attacks than before them. Yet, despite all of this, they still placed Him on the cross a couple of days after these events. May we learn from our master example (cf. 1 Pet. 2:21) to always be ready to give an account for the hope that is in us (1 Pet. 3:15), but Peter speaks of this in the context of suffering at the hands of the enemies of Christ (cf. 1 Pet. 4:1). Peter, who was present on the day the events of Matthew 22 occur, goes on to encourage us to focus on living a righteous life even if it means suffering. Jesus had the truth on His side, but His opponents still soon gained a (temporary) victory. Ultimately, though, the truth won and Christ was exonerated by it. May I suggest that the same will happen in our lives, as we stay faithful to Christ and His Word. The truth will make us free (cf. John 8:32) and will ultimately give us the victory (cf. 1 John 5:4). May that support us as we stay true to Him.

Daily Bread, Thursday, April 12, 2007

An Exercise In Futility
Neal Pollard

You can place the 2007 Washington Nationals among some conspicuous company as they have gotten off to a torrid 1-8 start in baseball's National League East. This year's Nationals have only had one lead in their first nine ballgames, a distinction they share only with the 1884 Detroit Wolverines. They have not scored a run in the first three innings of each ball game, a dubious "honor" they share in the storied records of baseball with your 1931 Cincinatti Reds. These are just different ways of telling you, "The 2007 Washington Nationals look awful."
It must be frustrating to be one of the players and especially to be Manager Manny Acta. These guys are not just losing, they are being embarrassed. They are being outplayed. Losing is no fun, even, I imagine, if you are getting paid the big bucks.
Have you ever been on a losing streak? It may have been regarding your finances, maybe in your search for Mister or Miss Right, maybe in your career, or maybe with regard to some other goal or interest. It is frustrating when nothing seems to go right. Nobody enjoys feeling like a "loser," though that image may be one you place on yourself that no one else does. At times, down days descend in droves. What do you do when you feel like you are struggling in last place?
Acta is probably telling his guys to go out there tonight and keep doing those little things you do to win ball games. He is likely telling his hitters to loosen up and keep looking for their pitch. He's telling the pitchers to make their pitch and trust the defense. He's probably telling the defense to play loose and pick each other up. He's telling his team to play as a team and not look at the league standings or the scoreboard. I don't know that he's telling them that, but that's normally what managers are supposed to say to struggling teams and their players.
That's the way you should look at your personal slumps. Realize that they come and be thankful that they also go. Keep putting Christ first, trusting and obeying Him and trying to serve Him. Find spiritual areas where you can involve yourself and soon your "slide" will end. Nobody wins them all. Most of us do not win most of them. Just remember that if you are a faithful Christian, you will ultimately win the greatest prize of all time and eternity.

DAILY BREAD, TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2007

IRONIC, ISN'T IT?
Neal Pollard

This sign was posted in a field across the road from the Mtu wa Mbu ("Mosquito River") church of Christ's building in Tanzania. The more you know about the primitive ways once characteristic of the Massai tribe, the funnier the above sign is. They have held onto archaic customs for family, religion, diet, and medicine (many of which are grossly immoral or pagan), but I have encountered Massai Meronis (their men of warrior age; the guys in the bright red shukas walking with their staffs and sandals) talking on cell phones and using internet cafes. More than once, I have seen one step out of his SUV in traditional attire. Talk about breaking stereotypes.

The world often thinks of Christians in certain stereotypical ways, too. They think we are walking around hypercritically and judgmentally viewing their every move. They think our beliefs restrict our freedom, our fun, and our family's ability to thrive. They think we are miserable. They think we are ignorant or gullible because we revere God and believe the truth of Scripture. They think we are hypocritical, secretly indulging in what we openly condemn. I sorrow for every case in which somebody reinforces those negative ideas about the followers of Christ. Yet, we do live in an ironic state as Christians. We are citizens of heaven who are living in this world (1 Pet. 2:11). We are to avoid fellowship with spiritual darkness and even expose them (Eph. 5:11; cf. 2 Cor. 6:16ff). People should be able to tell a difference in the way we dress, talk, act, and recreate, but God nowhere tells us to go out of our way to make a spectacle of ourselves to "stick out" (which would be immodest) and be "peculiar" (which would be a misunderstanding of an archaic translation in 1 Pet. 2:9). The world needs to know that we have some of the same concerns, responsibilities, and relationships they do. The difference is that Christ is the guiding authority in our lives. His Word leads us in our decision-making. His pleasure is our chief concern. That will make us an enigma to many we meet, but it will also draw the honest-hearted to Calvary (cf. John 12:32). Some will look at our behavior as Christians and be surprised at times (cf. 1 Pet. 4:4). We will blow their stereotypes even as we speak and act in ways they, in their lost state, do not understand. That's the way it has been since the church began. Let's just be sure we are fairly and accurately representing Christ with our lives!

DAILY BREAD, MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2007

The Peril Of "Covering Up"
Neal Pollard

Many of you have heard, no doubt, about the tragic decision made by Misty Ann Weaver. The Houston-area licensed vocational nurse is charged in the burning death of three people after she started a fire in her six-story office building. Why did she take such horrible measures that resulted in the unnecessary, tragic deaths of these victims? She was apparently behind on an audit for her plastic surgeon boss, and she feared being fired. She just wanted to start a small fire, enough to cause a distraction and buy herself more time. Obviously, she accomplished more than she intended.

Ms. Weaver is an extreme example of the tendency to try and avoid consequences by resorting to sin to "cover up" a shortcoming or failure. While few of us will wind up facing three felony murder counts, we are all tempted to "cover up" in this way. When we fail to study for a test, we may resort to cheating to "cover up" that fact. When we have a low self-image, we may resort to gossip or backbiting to "cover up" perceived flaws about ourselves. When we are afraid of negative consequences for not meeting some responsibility or expectation, we may turn to lying to "cover up" that inadequacy. The irony is seen in that the "cover up" inevitably puts us in greater spiritual trouble than before we engaged in it.

We may "cover up" for fear of the disapproval of others, out of embarrassment or shame, or out of concern for certain repercussions. Yet, to turn to sin to shield ourselves from the ramifications of our actions is to compound the problem. Let us have the courage to face God and man, to provide things honest in the sight of all men (cf. Romans 12:17). Israel was warned about the danger of adding sin to sin (Isaiah 30:1). It is strength of character to do our best in our every endeavor, but it is also strength of character, when we have failed to so do, to courageously, honestly "face the music." However we rationalize, the fallout from this will be less severe than the "cover up" is!

DAILY BREAD, THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2007

THE GOOD SAMARITAN
Neal Pollard

The story begins pathetically. An unwanted, abandoned dog is left along the side of the interstate. It is hit twice by passing motorists and even shot with buckshot. Cold and starving, the dog's chances of survival are quickly diminishing. Then, an unidentified woman driver picks up the dog. She takes it to a care shelter there, paying for its expenses. Apparently, she is a nurse and her compassion influenced even her choice of career. Fortunately, the dog had no broken bones or fractures, and it was quickly adopted.

What a heartwarming story! Such compassion for one of God's creatures is worthy of imitation. It tugs at our heartstrings. A hurting, defenseless canine. A sacrificial person in the midst of less admirable folks who neglected and even actively harmed the dog.

Jesus is the master teacher. He taught a story of a man, beaten and left beside the road. Robbers actively harmed him. Others, though knowing better, neglected him. One, "the good Samaritan," rescued him at great personal price. Jesus implicitly condemns the thieves and the negligent ones. He likewise praises the rescuer.

There are people who have been beaten by sin problems and are spiritually dying. We pass them in the hall and the mall, at work and on the way. Upon many of these we bear no influence. On some, we do. Wherever possible, ignoring the personal cost, we must help.

There are people who have been beaten by sorrow who are languishing in despair. They may be in our physical family or church family. They may be our friends from work or school. Our attention, our compassion, and the wisdom from God's Word are all salve that can comfort them.

There are people who have been beaten by problems who are just hanging on. They may not see the need to keep going. You can spell the difference by helping lift them out of their ditch of despair. Proverbs 25:11 reminds us, "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." Maybe some troubled soul needs a healthy word from you.

We can see, smell and pet a dog. Physical assistance like that in the sweet story above captures our hearts more easily. It's tangible. Yet, the potential good we can do by aiding the soul, spirit, or heart of another far transcends what can be empirically measured by our senses. It could make an eternal impact. Do a "good Samaritan" thing today!

DAILY BREAD, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2007

THE BEAUTIFUL QUALITY OF THANKFULNESS
Neal Pollard

Her name was Mrs. Broadhead. She was a resident in a west Alabama nursing home. She was known for saying one thing with great frequency: "We have a lot to be thankful for, don't we?" Emaciated, confined to a wheel chair, with a speech impediment due to a stroke, and filled with aches and pains, this was her life's motto.
Wedding and baby showers, small gifts or tokens of appreciation, compliments, words of encouragement, acknowledgments, visits, deeds of kindness, and the like are golden opportunities to express it. Yet, far too many have failed to learn the beautiful grace of gratitude. It is wondered if Jesus used the parable of ten lepers to illustrate not the importance of thankfulness but to give an approximate percentage of those who fail to show it. Remember that when the lone man returned to give thanks to Jesus, He observed, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?" (Luke 17:17).
While demonstrating thanksgiving to God and to fellow men is growing more rare, it is certainly a Christian characteristic! In the midst of general teaching, Paul inserts the charge, "And be thankful" (Col. 3:15). In prior generations, great emphasis was placed upon instilling manners and courtesy within our young people. One demonstration of etiquette was to never let a gift or kindness go without a card, call, or word of thanks. It is extreme selfishness and self-absorption to fail to acknowledge the sentiment of others, whether the expression was big or small! Failing to show gratitude is like telling others that we are spoiled or entitled.
Christians, above all others, have so much for which to be thankful. The remarkable command from Paul is, "In everything give thanks..." (1 Thess. 5:18). Thankfulness for tooth aches, flat tires, bills, taxes, death? Perhaps Pollyanna was a good teacher. She played "the glad game." Whenever she had to endure a bad thing, she chose to find something about which to be glad. Cannot we do the same? Christians are to be found "overflowing with gratitude" (Col. 2:7).
God rejects those who are not thankful (Rom. 12:1). It is an ugly trait to be ungrateful. It is synonymous with being inconsiderate. Paul says to esteem others better than oneself (Phil. 2:4). For all which that includes, gratitude plays a part. Never fail to return a favor, gift, or act of consideration wiht a simple "Thank you." It is your obligation. It will become your joy!

Daily Bread, Tuesday, March 20, 2007

DEAD PEOPLE IN FIRST CLASS!
Neal Pollard

Very occasionally I get the opportunity to sit in first class and it is a different ride from coach, from the legroom to the service. I even have a few interesting stories about riding up front, but nothing to match Paul Trinder's harrowing tale. Paul was sleeping up in first class last Friday on a British Airways flight from New Delhi to London. He shifted in his seat, took a peek at his seat mate, and then probably remembered that he hadn't had a seat mate before he drifted off to sleep. Trinder says, "I remember looking at this frail, sparrow-like woman and thinking she was very ill. When I asked what was going on, I was shocked to hear she was dead." She died in coach, and first class was apparently the only place available for dead body storage.
Analogously, Americans are definitely in the first class compartment of this world. Our nation is beautiful, our resources abundant, our infrastructures in great shape, our material wealth nearly unrivaled, and our quality of life--from our food choice to our health care--is without peer among the other nations of the world. Yet, here in "first class" there are dead people everywhere! They are dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13)! They need to know that even when dead in their trespasses, they can be made alive in Christ (Eph. 2:5). Unlike the situation that made airline headlines, the spiritually dead can be made alive again through Christ. The Prodigal's father rejoiced that his son, once dead to him, was alive again (Luke 15:24).
No matter how well we are living physically and materially, it means nothing if we are dead in our sins (cf. Luke 12:19; 16:19). We lose it all, even if we could gain the whole world, if we lose our soul (Matt. 16:26). Yes, masses of folks are dying whose existence is lived far below "first class" accommodations. Everyone, from every lot in life, needs nothing more than the saving message of Christ. It should disturb us more than anything else to know that people all around us are dead!

DAILY BREAD, MONDAY, MARCH 19, 2007







Happy birthday to a first-ballot, hall-of-fame Mom (BRENDA POLLARD), who turns none of your business today in Fayetteville, NC. Here's the bread...

WILL WE FARE BETTER THAN CAESAR?
Bill Becker

In William Shakespeare's play, Julius Caesar, a soothsayer cries out, "Beware the Ides of March" to alert Caesar to an unknown danger. In reality, Caesar would not have recognized in the word "ides" any inherent danger at all. There is no specific threat or fear implied in the term. It simply means "the fifteenth."

The Roman calendar used three terms to express different times of the month. Kalends (from which our word "calendar" comes), meant the first day of the month; Nones meant the seventh day of the month; Ides meant the fifteenth day of the month. This was true of March, May, July and October. In the other months of the year Nones meant the fifth day of the month and Ides the thirteenth day of the month.

The other days of the month were not numbered. One kept track of them by subtracting from the Nones or Ides of the month. "V Ides of March," for example, would mean March 11 ("V" being the Roman equivalent of the number 5 which is subtracted from Ides).

So even if a soothsayer had actually proclaimed to Caesar "Beware the Ides of March" all he would have known is that on March 14 he should be alert to the possible arrival of some unknown danger which he, at the time, could not identify.

With regard to spiritual matters, the situation is somewhat reversed. We know the specific event which is coming, but not the time of its arrival. The 'event,' of course, is the day of Judgment. We all know its coming is certain (Heb. 9:27), we know it will be a day of rejoicing for the faithful and weeping and gnashing of teeth for others (Matt. 24:45-51), and we know it will be a day of separation (Matt. 25:31-46).

Yes, we know many things about the day of Judgment, but not when it is coming. Unlike Caesar, who knew the day of a great unknown danger for which he was to be prepared, we must be prepared every day for an event we know. Are you prepared?

--The Reminder, Moulton, Alabama

DAILY BREAD, THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2007

THE MYSTERY OF INFLUENCE
Neal Pollard

A few years ago, a fourteen year old girl named Shannon Smith was shot to death in her own back yard. A bullet lodged in her brain. Though already tragic and horrific, the story was made more tragic by the inexplicable nature of the shooting. Police, judging from the trajectory made by the entry would, concluded that the bullet fell from the sky. Somewhere nearby, some unknown person had fired a gun for no known reason. The bullet completed its path of travel inside an unsuspecting teenager. Tragic, indeed!
Who fired the gun and why? The action pales next to the consequence. Someone aimlessly fired a weapon. A child died and parents were left to mourn her loss. It was all so unnecessary and avoidable!
Christians are a special people, a God-possessed, holy group (1 Pet. 2:9). The world sees Christians (Matt. 5:16). They react to children of God, either "glorifying" (Matt. 5:16) or "blaspeming" (2 Sam. 12:14) Him. Christians are either transformed from worldliness or conformed to it (Rom. 12:2). Conformity carries tragic consequences.
Influence is an inevitable burden carried by every Christian. Others watch what we do, hear what we say, and evaluating our judgments. What we wear, how we talk, where we go, and with what we entertain ourselves may seem harmless or at least harmful only to us. Yet, we can aimlessly fire and eternally wound another's soul by our influence.
The man or woman who fired that gun may not realize even now what they did with one "harmless" squeeze of a trigger. Maybe they will not know on this side of time. Just so, we may be shocked on that day to realize how many or exactly whom we influenced. We're on a spiritual battlefield (Eph. 6). Let's be careful not to shoot at the wrong side! We may wind up doing harm to the very people we're commissioned to save. Let's watch our aim!

DAILY BREAD, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2007

The Things She Saw!
Neal Pollard

Her father-in-law was a slave. The first two numbers of her date of birth were "18." She died in the nursing home at the age of 108. She was voting age when World War I ended, but women could not yet vote. She was a five-year-old girl growing up in Tennessee when Orville and Wilbur made news in a neighboring state. She was of legal retirement age when the civil rights movement swept across the south her famous husband helped effect. She saw her husband help establish 250 churches in the south over their thirty-four years of marriage (some information gleaned from an e-mail news alert posted by Tami Ross, Christian Chronicle, 3/7/07).
She saw changes, good and bad, sweep across our nation. Divorce was extremely rare, in and out of the church. Five states (OK, NM, AZ, AK, and HI) were admitted to the union after her birth. A pound of bread was a nickle, as was a quart of milk. Pork chops were a dime. The mayor of Chicago made an extravagant $10,000 per year (www.chipublib.org). In her childhood, radio, TV, computers, space travel, Ipods, the internet, soccer moms, NASCAR dads, blackberries (at least the electronic kind), political correctness, and fast food restaurants were beyond foreign concepts.
She saw changes in the church, positive and negative. Her husband, Marshall, was one of the greatest positive contributors to change in the last century. He was one of the first black evangelists used widely among predominantly white congregations. She was in grade school when the official recognition of the split between churches of Christ and the Christian Church was reflected in the U.S. census of 1906. She was born fourteen years after H. Leo Boles, was 33 when A.G. Freed died, 24 when J.A. Harding died, 19 when David Lipscomb passed, 13 the year McGarvey died, and B.C. Goodpasture was three years old when she was born! She saw the decade we were purported to be the fastest growing religion in America. She saw extremism, left and right, take its toll on us in the following four decades. She left this world for the next as we stood in the middle of the greatest informational and technological boom the world has ever known.
Laura Keeble died today at the age of 108.

DAILY BREAD, TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2007

THE SUNRISE
Neal Pollard

This morning's sunrise (pictured above) was an awesome sight, just one little reminder among a countless number of God's majesty and power. God's hand in nature is a comfort to us, but that He works such in splendor and beauty are benevolent extras from His gracious nature. Noah's rainbow was a covenant and sign, but the sunrise is one of many natural phenomena that God has applied to the appearance, work, or nature of His Son.
In Luke one, the Holy Spirit through the writer reveals Zacharias' prophesy about John's work as the harbinger of a Messiah who was about to appear to their generation. In part, Zacharias says, "For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways; to give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace" (1:76b-79). Of ten New Testament occurrences, only here is anatole translated "dayspring" or "sunrise." The other nine occurrences, found in either Matthew, Luke, or Revelation, render it "east" (the place from which the sun rises each day).
Zacharias had not been able to speak since encountering the angel while performing his priestly duties in the temple (Luke 1:10). His mouth had been shut since the time Gabriel had told him that the son he had just learned he and Elizabeth would bear would be the forerunner of Jesus (Luke 1:19). Zacharias did not believe the revelation Gabriel gave to be true, and for this his lips were sealed until Elizabeth gave untimely birth. Zacharias was instructed to call their newborn "John" rather than name him after himself. That day, his lips were loosed and he prophesied about both John and Jesus.
Zacharias proclaimed Jesus "the Sunrise." Why? Jesus would pay mankind a visit, appearing as the sun that starts a brand new day. He would illuminate (cf. John 8:12), the way the morning sun dispels and chases away the darkness. He would bring peace, the way the coming of the day often chases away the fears and insecurities of the night. No more beautiful sunrise ever appeared than He who appeared in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. He brought endless peace and offers endless hope. Nothing is more beautiful!

DAILY BREAD, MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2007

Do Not Be Disturbed
Neal Pollard

There continues to be the false religions interpreted by the world to be Christianity. There are web sites posted by professed "ex-Christians" and even former members of the Lord's church. News and history channels give a skewed perspective and betray a hostile attitude toward Christianity, with movies, music, and talk-show hosts speaking in most irreverent terms of Christ and those who put their trust in Him. Archaeologists purport to have evidence of the lost tomb of Christ. A fellow student of mine, a preacher, was arrested for an immoral crime that caught regional media attention and an excuse for the secular to attack the Christ he preached. There are almost daily examples of this sort of assault.
Some may be tempted to wring their hands and surrender. Others may feel pressure to cower and cover their faith. Most will at least find these things disturbing. Certainly, attacks made on Christ incur the wrath and sorrow of heaven, so that it would bother us is natural.
Often, New Testament writers talked about what might disturb or attempt to disturb us as Christians. We can become disturbed because of the actions of those who are our own brothers and sisters in Christ (cf. Acts 15:24; 2 Cor. 12:20). False teachers can create disturbances, even claiming to speak in the name of Christ (Gal. 1:7; 2 Thes. 2:2). Once, Paul acknowledged that the church at Thessalonica was in a position to be disturbed by afflictions brought on by those antagonistic to the church of Christ. The writer of Hebrews saw that those Christians were disturbed by opposition (Heb. 10:32-34; 2:3-4). Jesus often warned that being His disciple would bring hatred and hostility from the world's direction (Luke 6:22; John 7:7; 15:18-19; 16:2; 17:14). John echoes the same message in 1 John 3:13, saying, "Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you."
I believe the statement is true that "we are not citizens of this world trying to make it to heaven, but citizens of heaven trying to make it through this world." We will be troubled and tried because we follow the suffering servant. Let us look past these things and keep our focus on the never-ending joy and ever-enduring peace of heaven.

DAILY BREAD, FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2007

"Daddy, Tell Me About Your Father"

My dad, Gary Neal Pollard, Sr., is a man of sterling character. He is generous, yet spendthrifty (in the good sense). He is a hard worker. He is a very smart man, having earned several advanced degrees, but he is extremely humble. He loves his children, showing unswerving dedication and unembarrassed concern over their welfare (even as they navigate their adult years). My dad played ball with me. He watched me play ball. He frequently led the family in nightly devotions. I saw him, on an often-paltry preacher's salary, buy a poor family a week's worth of groceries. He genuinely believes in prayer, and I often caught him practicing that belief. He is a strong man, but he unashamedly sheds tears over spiritual concerns. He is not a perfect man, but he is a godly man. I will make sure my sons know how good their grandfather is, and I am thankful they already know.

I cannot believe I have three boys. One day, they will be grown. Given the Pollard track record, they might even have some boys some day. Someday, somewhere, there well may be a conversation between Gary, Dale, Carl and their respective children. My name will come up. My qualities will be mentioned. They will have memories of me. As I write this, I almost tremble. What kind of legacy am I building for my boys? How will they remember me? Like a blinding light, I see each little frailty and flaw in my character! Am I praying enough, singing enough, doing good often enough that they will see, learn and imitate me? Can they safely follow my lead?

Dads, God has given you a special role and place in the family. You are the earthly leader of your home. You are slowly, steadily building a legacy, each and every day. The words and deeds of your life are putting it together, the bricks that are building their memory of who you were to them. Take that seriously! Live up to the level of your responsibility. Spend time with your children. Show them love. Nurture them. Admonish them. Lead them to heaven. Even after you have gone, you will be the topic of family conversation. Do not be a disappointment to them. Do not disappoint your Heavenly Father. Be a good dad!

DAILY BREAD, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2007

MISSED WHEN ABSENT
Neal Pollard

There is a natural crisis developing across our nation, a problem that could have enormous ecological and economical impact. The honey worker bees are disappearing, and nobody knows exactly why. They just know what implications their disappearance has on us all. The disappearance even has a technical name now: "Colony Collapse Disorder" (CCD). The most disturbing aspect is there are no dead bodies anywhere and the hives look normal on the outside. Theories include pesticides, predators, and people (of course), but nothing is apparent. Entomologists and apiologists remind us that bees pollinate one-third of the world's food supply, but who besides them ever gives thought to these quiet, diligent workers?

Think about how many in the church are like the honey bee. They work almost undetectably, behind the scenes and unheralded. Without them, however, much work would go undone. Occasionally, these workers may get discouraged by opposition, unappreciation, and criticism. In some instances, they may be prone to give up and "disappear." Yet, think about what happens to the life and work of a congregation that loses or lacks these quiet workers. Bulletin boards aren't decorated. Kitchens aren't cleaned. Tract racks aren't stocked. Shut-ins and the sick aren't contacted. Cards aren't sent. People aren't encouraged and new Christians and new members aren't exhorted. Visits aren't made. Individually, these workers may not be able to do much, but collectively their impact is huge! There works may be most noticeable when we become aware they cannot or do not do them anymore. To those of you who work like these "honey bees," we give you due honor and recognition (cf. Rom. 12:15). Your work is significant and essential. We know where we would be without you, and we dread the thought. Please do not be weary in well-doing (Gal. 6:9). We notice you, and we need you!

DAILY BREAD, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2007

** Britney Spears & Anna Nicole Smith Update **
Ryan Roark

I'm joking...although, if we really wanted to boost the Food For Thought ratings, it would behoove us to devote these next few decades to following the sagas of these two "news" stories step by step. Am I the only one who has felt the inability to steer clear of these tabloid-esque reports?

Normally, Kelly and I will turn on one of the major networks' morning shows as we're eating breakfast and getting ready for the day. Lately, I had been partial to Today on NBC. However, once their intentions of saturating their air time with Anna Nicole and Britney became apparent, we decided to try the other networks. No luck there either. "Certainly," we thought, "A station such as FOX News will not drive such frivolous stories into the ground." Wrong again. Seems they too are caught up in the sensationalism surrounding these two women. So much for "fair and balanced."

So, we have finally had enough. This morning we watched an episode of This Old House. As we watched these skilled carpenters and plumbers speak in their heavy New England accents, we just knew Norm Abrams or one of his co-workers was going to begin talking about a similar job he did at Britney Spears' house. Thankfully, though, it never came up.

Ours is a nation that has become obsessed with celebrity. This has been the case for some time. However, recent generations have accelerated this infatuation to new levels. The public wants to know as much as is possible about their favorite actors, sports stars, and musicians. Publications such as The National Enquirer sell millions of copies every week to gossip-hungry fans who clamor to read the latest "dirt" in Hollywood.

It used to be the case that those of us who wished to ignore such "junk food news" were required to do little more than pass these publications by at the grocery check-out line. However, today's mainstream media is filling our pages and airwaves with less real news and more frivolous scandal and innuendo. What (if anything) does the Bible say about this matter?

"They learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not." (1 Timothy 5:13, ESV)

Bearing in mind the context in which these words were written (instructions to the church about widows), there is a principle here that applies to the situation at hand. Does anyone actually believe God is glorified or even pleased when we go about contributing to the longevity of celebrity gossip? Does righteous character include gossipping about someone, regardless of whether we know them personally or not? Some of these celebrities have been known to actually manufacture these scandals (many of which involve gross immorality) to "jump-start" a fledgling career. Regardless of the situation, Christian character demands our abstinence from perpetuating gossip and profitless trifles.

The truth of the matter is, we have too much honest and productive work to do to involve ourselves with idle talk. If I find myself with enough time to know what color socks Anna Nicole Smith's mother wore to the courtroom yesterday, it may be the case that I have become an "idler." God expects us to be good stewards of the resources He has given us -- including time.

DAILY BREAD, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2007

WHAT VISION IS
Neal Pollard

It is the ability to see what a thing could be. A carpenter, looking at a tree, sees with a trained eye much more than others can see. With his expert shaping, appropriate tools, and seasoned patience, he can make out of that tree what was once only in his mind. The Lord needs people, from the leadership down, who look at the community, each other, their income, and their abilities and see what could be done. It takes no effort, emotion, or education to say, "It can't be done!" That's what is expected. Vision sees what could be.
It is the ability to not obsess over what a thing has been. Due respect is owed to the labors of the past, and due recognition is owed both its successes and failures. The past, however glorious, will have ample samples of both. Yet, the people, plans, and programs of today and tomorrow should not be shackled and chained exclusively to was has been. Vision is not always settling for being "has beens." "Will be" is what Paul seemed more focused in pursuing (cf. Phil. 3:10-12). Biblical vision recognizes that doctrine cannot change, but methods, technology, tools, and people invariably do. Vision asks how people living in the present time can best reach people living in the present time and prepare them for an endless eternity.
It is the ability to trust in what God can make it be. No plan would succeed without God's hand in it. I love the prayers where brethren plead, "Help us in the things that are right and defeat us in the things that are wrong." Among the Bible's heroes are those who factor God into the plans and say, "We are well able" (Caleb, Num. 13:30). "I can do all things" (Paul, Phil. 4:13), "There is nothing too hard..." (Jeremiah, Jer. 32:17), and "No good thing does He withhold" (the sons of Korah, Psa. 84:11). Our vision can be bold when "our" is God and us! Since God made the sky, the limit exceeds even that! Our giving, our ambitions, our goals, and our sights should be set to reflect our belief in that fact.
Where will we be this time next year? In five or ten years? Vision plays a role in that. Vision attempts to see the unseen, forget the past, and trust the One who holds past, present, and future in His all-powerful hand. With those truths factored in, let us dream big dreams!

DAILY BREAD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2007

Fistfight In The Operating Room
Neal Pollard

Paul Harvey hears the most interesting news story. This one originates in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, where an appendix operation is not going well for a patient. Apparently, the two doctors performing the appendectomy begin to argue. It escalates until they come to blows, with one doctor getting the worst of it with a split lip and some nasty bruises. An assistant had to step in and fortunately was able to successfully finish the procedure.
Doctors are usually renowned for their professionalism and discipline. The years of medical school and rigorous hours, the intelligence and the high level of skill all combine to paint the picture of control and maturity. That is what makes this story out of eastern Europe so incongruous. Doctors are supposed to be preservers of life. These doctors apparently had the right tools in their hands and were in the appropriate place doing the appropriate things.
Someone has rightly referred to the church as a spiritual hospital. We serve the perfect, Great Physician, but He does His work on earth today through our hands. He has given us the tools, the knowledge, and the rationale for saving spiritual lives. Tragically, we can have the right tools in our hands, be in the right place and be doing some of the right things. Yet, when we cannot master the fundamental and necessary task of working together we are risking success in saving those who are dying without Jesus. When a congregation has cliques or factions that war with one another (cf. Gal. 5:13), they are doing potentially more damage than those reckless doctors in Yugoslavia. When brothers in Christ within our great brotherhood wrangle with each other by splitting hairs and exhibiting extreme pettiness (and do so in forums that can easily involve the world), such harm is done. When we have conflicts between even two individuals in a congregation (see Euodia and Syntyche, Phil. 4:2), it can endanger the peace and unity of the entire body.
Let us remember that there are others watching how we treat one another. Most of all, God is watching. How we treat one another is the litmus test Christ presents for His disciples for how others would know we belong to Him in John 13:34-35. God has given us ways to deal with our inevitable confict and strife, and none of them involves blood-letting, biting and devouring, or character assassination. Let us remember we are in the life-saving business, and that includes the lives of one another.

DAILY BREAD, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2007

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH
Neal Pollard

Ten times, the Holy Spirit through Habakkuk uses the Hebrew term eres in three short chapters. Primarily, the word is translated "earth" although it is also translated "land" a few times in this short prophesy. The significance of its repeated use seems to be as part of God's explanation to Habakkuk for why Judah was being punished by the more wicked Babylonians (1:5-17) because of their national sins as God's people (2:4-19). Habakkuk's vantage point was as one upon the earth who could not see nor fully know heavenly things. God explains to Habakkuk that He alone has a perfect vantage point of both heaven and earth. Being God, He was interacting into the affairs of the earth exactly as He should. Ultimately, Habakkuk recognizes this and glorifies the sovereign God whose ways he trusts and accepts. The contrast between heaven and earth is best seen in the pivotal verse of the book. Habakkuk says, "But the Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before Him" (2:20).
While this is an appropriate call for us to be reverent when we worship God, let us not miss Habakkuk's bigger point here. This is a call for us to have faith in God's will and ways in all aspects of our lives, and through such faith live (cf. 2:4). God made the earth. He rules over the earth. He judges those that live upon the earth. We may not always understand why God wants us to do what He says or live as He has instructed. However puzzling life may be for us in living the Christian life, let us be just and live by faith! God's wisdom, ability, and actions, compared with our own, are the difference between heaven and earth! Then, come what may, we can conclude with Habakkuk, "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength..." (3:18-19a).

DAILY BREAD, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2007

BORN OF ROYALTY
Neal Pollard

Eleanor Morris is a special lady. Though no doubt in her eighties, she exudes beauty, charm, and grace. The more you know about her history, the more you feel you have tangible proof. She has possession of her family coat of arms, handed down through generations of her family. She knows, from genealogical research by her daughter, that she is of Spanish and Grecian blood. The family coat of arms, of the Carrill family, gives more specific insight into from whom she has descended. The first two Carrills of the coat of arms were two counts who went about helping the poor. They were known as Los Carrills (or "The Cheeky Ones"). This relationship also makes her a descendent of Fernando and Isabella, the king and queen of Spain during Christopher Columbus' lifetime. Eleanor's middle name is Leonidas, and further proof from the May 29, 2006, issue of the New American (www.ibs.com) traces her to King Leonidas, king of Sparta. That's pretty hard to top.
However, Eleanor Morris can top her own claims of royal heritage. Eleanor is a sister in Christ and because of that a close relative of the King of kings (cf. 1 Tim. 2:5). This also makes her a child of God (Gal. 3:26-27). She's part of the royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:5,9). She herself has been made royalty by Christ (Rev. 1:5-6). Far beyond any blood-ties of earth is that her spirit is blood-bought and her sins are covered by the blood of the One who created every person great and small.
Of course if you are a New Testament Christian, you share in her lofty claims. The world makes celebrities of both the worthy and the very unworthy. It recognizes physical power and looks, military strength, material wealth, and human royalty. Yet, Christians, by virtue of Christ, have a heritage that eclipses the greatest sovereign on the globe. Rejoice in the lofty name you wear and live up to the honor it demands!

DAILY BREAD, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2007











Good afternoon! Gratuitous picture of the Alamo that has no bearing on the Bread or Bear Valley. It's neat, though, eh? Here's bread, and then news...

HE FINISHED 18TH, BUT WHAT A FINISH!
Neal Pollard

I had no idea who Clint Bowyer was. I do know enough about NASCAR to know that the Daytona 500 is perhaps the premier event of the whole sport. Yesterday's finish was supposedly the closest in the race's forty-nine-year history, with 1972 and 1978 close behind it. Adding to the excitement were all the wrecks (sort of what fighting is to hockey). None of the fracases was any more dramatic than the one at the very end of the race, which bedlam brings us back to Clint. In the mayhem and tangled metal, Bowyer's car flipped onto its top. Most amazing of all is that he skidded and scraped his way across the finish line in that position. By the time gravity helped him stop, he was back on his wills and the front half of his vehicle was in flames. He was able to walk away unharmed. His finish was as amazing to me as Harvick's win by a nose over Mark Martin. He was able to hang in there to the end and because of that he earned money and avoided a "did not finish" even if it was the hard way.

The spiritual race we are in is grueling and difficult. To say that it can leave everything upside down for us is not an exaggeration. Yet, the goal of the Christian race is to finish. Paul says it is to "finish the course" (2 Tim. 4:7). Some may reach the finish in a little better condition than others. There may be serious emotional scrapes, some spiritual dents incurred along the way, and some physical setbacks. No one will eke or squeak into heaven. Yet, there will be tests and challenges every lap of the narrow road. Those who successfully run it, though, will receive the ultimate reward and victory (2 Tim. 4:8). Keep in the race!

DAILY BREAD, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2007

Now That's Really Staying Together
Neal Pollard

This has been a news story for a few days, but I suppose it is getting "played up" for Valentine's Day. You may have heard about the couple archaeologists dug up in an excavation in Rome. They found the bones of a couple who would have possibly lived before Noah, but how they found them was most unique. The skeletons were found in embrace, suggesting especially to the sentimental the profoundest expression of love and togetherness possible (info taken from today's Rocky Mountain News, News section).
Who knows what it truly means, who they were, and if they were even husband and wife. Yet, I would like to think that they were a couple so close and whose lives were so intertwined that their repose in death was symbolic of how they were to each other throughout life. We certainly need good role models, wherever we can "dig them up."
Society does not do so much to encourage married people staying together. In fact, infidelity and fornication are idolized character traits. Those who stick together through thick and thin are portrayed as foolish or at least boring. Yet, God laid out a blueprint for the whole that includes a bond much stronger than an embrace for couples staying together (cf. Gen. 2:18-24; Mat. 19:3-9; 1 Pet. 3:1-7; etc.). The Lord's church needs men and women who are committed to staying together, to building healthy, happy and close marriages. Societies, to long endure, need such values embraced and encouraged. You, if you are married, need to rededicate yourself to your spouse each day, finding ways to stick close and reasons to stay together.

DAILY BREAD, Monday, 1-29-07

SOMETHING ALL FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS MUST WATCH!
Neal Pollard

Proverbs seems to do the most thorough job of dealing with the matter about which all faithful Christians today should be very aware. The Hebrew word rakil is found six times in the Old Testament, variously translated as "slanderer" (Prov. 20:19) and "backbiting" (Prov. 11:13). Proverbs 20:19 also uses the word "gossip" (pathah), which in that passage literally means "to be spacious, wide, and open."
Of all sins that it is easier to see in others than in ourselves, gossip would have to occupy a chief seat! It is easy to find ourselves, whether out of genuine or feigned concern for someone else's physical, social, or spiritual welfare, out of anger about their actions, attitudes, or lifestyle, out of frustration, or another reason, talking to someone else about a third party who is not present to hear or defend himself or herself. We might "backbite" about our family, our co-workers, our neighbors, or others at church. How do we discern when it crosses the line from concern or inquiry into gossip?

• If we would write the statement about the "subject" and sign our names to it, it is gossip.

• If we say it in their absence and would not say it in their presence, it is gossip.

• Even if the information is true and accurate but is said behind the back, it is still gossip.

• If we pass along information received about a person to another person, it is gossip.

• If we are only the hearer and not the "disher," it is still gossip.

• If it is hearsay, no matter our motives in sharing, it is still gossip.

• If we are speaking about a person in a way in which we would not appreciate being spoken about, we should ask if it isn't gossip.

• Even if we believe we are acting in the best interest of another, if it meets the definition it is still gossip!

We are to think on the right sort of things (Phil. 4:8). Let us also say the right things in the right ways. As Marshall Keeble would say, "Let us first taste our words" before we speak them. If they are not spiritually profitable or adequately thoughtful, let us leave them unsaid.

"Daily Bread" is sent out by Neal Pollard from the Bear Valley church of Christ in Denver, Colorado.