File: /pub/resources/text/Our.Daily.Bread: db940405.txt
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          OUR DAILY BREAD                          Tuesday, April 5, 1994
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          Read:  1 Corinthians 4:1-5

                                OUR DESIRE FOR PRAISE

                      Many believed in Him, but...they did not
                      confess Him,...for they loved the praise
                         of men more than the praise of God.
                                    John 12:42-43

          Children  enjoy being commended by parents, teachers, and  others
          in authority.  I saw this recently on the faces of boys and girls
          who  were being publicly honored for their accomplishments  in  a
          youth program.

          Even adults like to receive the approved of people they  respect.
          This   built-in   desire  for  praise   is   not   wrong.  Honest
          commendation  can be very encouraging and can bring out the  best
          in us.  And the Bible tells us to look forward to the day when we
          will receive praise from God (1 Cor. 4:5).  The problem, however,
          is  that  we often place more value on applause we  receive  from
          people in this life than on praise from God in the life to come.

          A teenage boy is on drugs today because he wanted to be  accepted
          by a group of his peers he considered "cool."  Another young  man
          admitted  that he exaggerates about his relationship  with  girls
          because he thinks it makes him appear macho to the men with  whom
          he  works.  Both of these fellows made the same mistake as  those
          first-century  believers who "loved the praise of men  more  than
          the praise of God" (John 12:43).

          Lord,  help us to take the long-range view and want  Your  praise
          more than the praise of people.

          Author:  Herbert Vander Lugt

                                May everything we do
                              By word or deed or story
                            Be done to please the Lord--
                              To Him be all the glory.
                                       Roworth

          THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
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          Living  for  God's  approval  is better  than  living  for  man's
          applause.

          THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  2 Samuel 5-8











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