file: /pub/resources/text/Our.Daily.Bread: db940716.txt
-------------------------------------------------------



OUR DAILY BREAD                        Saturday, July 16, 1994
---------------
READ: 2 Timothy 4:9-22


                       "THE LORD AND YOU"

            At my first defense no one stood with
     me, but all forsook me... But the Lord stood with me.

                      - 2 Timothy 4:16-17

In her book Lincoln's Daughters of Mercy, Marjorie Greenbie
tells about Mother Bickerdyke, who worked with General Sher-
man during the Cival War.  She brought relief to thousands
of wounded and dying Union soldiers.

Once, when Mother Bickerdyke was giving special attention to
a man considered worthless by his comrades, she was asked,
"Why do you waste your time on trash like that?"  "Because,"
she replied, "when there's any creature around here so
miserable that there's nobody to care for him, he still has
two friends in this army.  One is God, and the other is me."

Paul certainly wasn't considered worthless by his co-
workers, but there were times when he felt alone.  Demas had
forsaken him; Crescens, Titus, and Tychicus were all away
traveling (2 Tim. 4:10,12).  Yet God and one person, Luke,
sustained Paul when he stood at his final defense in Rome.
As the trial that would lead to his execution got underway,
only Luke was with Paul (v. 11).  He and the Lord gave Paul
the support he needed to maintain a clear witness.

The Lord works through people.  With Paul, He used Luke.
Some struggling person in your life today may need the Lord
- and you!

Author:  Dennis J. De Haan

        To those in darkest night
        Go be a kindly friend;
        Pour love and sunshine on their cares
        And broken lives you'll mend.

                                - Zimmerman

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
--------------------
All around are needs to meet:
   be God's heart and hands and feet.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  Isaiah 28-30


--------------------------------------------------------------
Our Daily Bread, Copyright 1994, used by permission of Radio
Bible Class, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49555, USA. Written per-
mission must be obtained from RBC for any further posting or
distribution. RBC provides a variety of Bible resources,
which are free of charge. RBC is not funded by any group or
denomination, and support comes voluntarily from its Members
and friends. Write for more information, or call 1-800-598-
7221
--------------------------------------------------------------