“Beloved” PBM Family,

   Sandwiches!  Yes…the salivating for a sandwich put this thought from our Lord into my heart!  I hope you are hungry because an incredible sandwich is already prepared for you this day!  Gluten-free options for bread are limited, and ofttimes not so tasty.  So, when we, as the Smith family, gave up gluten for Haven’s Lyme treatment, I remember really hankering for an amazing sandwich.  Well, I have found one in God’s Living Word that is sure to satisfy our deepest yearnings!

   Paul’s letter to the Philippians is a beautiful place where we likely should spend a fair amount of time…but today we’ll look at Philippians 4, which is filled with a smorgasbord of delights, just waiting for us to devour!  Verse 8, known by many pleads with us;

“Finally beloved [what a beautiful word “beloved”], whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about [ponder deeply] these things!”

   Another version says, “…take count of these things!” Literally take the time to ponder them, count them, categorize them, cherish them, hold them dear, devour them…investing time into “whatever is; True, Honorable, Just, Pure, Pleasing, Commendable, Excellent, Worthy of Praise!”  Oh, my friends, there is only ONE who is ALL those things; Christ Jesus our Lord!  May you and I spend much more time pondering HIM who died for us, rose again “…defeating sin, death, and the grave,” and now “…sits at the right hand of GOD the Father Almighty interceding” for each one of us…longing to live within our hearts this very day, and unto Eternity!

   WAIT…but what about the sandwich?  Here it is!  Already perfectly prepared for each one of us, by our Lord HIMself!  Read with me the verses before and after verse 8.  Look for the Bread of Life “sandwiching” verse 8.  Specifically, look for the word “Peace!”

7 “And the Peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! 8 “Finally beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about [ponder deeply] about these things!” 9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen…and the God of Peace will be with you!”

   That is one satisfying sandwich of Peace, filled with everything from verse 8 in the middle, sandwiched by the Peace of God and the God of Peace! Go ahead!  Take it!  Eat up!  It was lovingly prepared for you as your Daily Bread, by the Bread of Life HIMself!

HIS servant,

dan

ps: We so appreciate those who are helping provide Daily Bread to PBM and thus to those precious souls HE calls us to!  It can be as simple as A Prayer A Day!  For others, that Prayer A Day, coupled with a dollar a day, allows us all together to continue providing the physical and spiritual nourishment longed for by so many!  If you are able to gift more (i.e., HIS tithe from your stimulus check, or by other means), that would be greatly appreciated as we continue to Pray for “our Daily Bread!” and share the Bread of Life with others!