Entries by YMI

ODB: What’s At Stake?

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August 26, 2013 

READ: Proverbs 19:15-25 

Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days. —Proverbs 19:20 

To stake or not to stake? That’s the question Marilyn faced when she planted a tree sapling last summer. The salesman said, “Stake it for one year so it will be supported in strong winds. Then remove them so it can grow deep roots on its own.” But a neighbor told her, “Staking may cause more harm than good. The tree needs to start building strong roots right away, or it may never. Not staking is best for long-term health.”

We wonder about that question in relationships too. For instance, if someone has gotten himself into trouble, do we “stake him down” by rescuing him, or do we let the person “grow strong roots” on his own by allowing him to face the consequences of his choices? Obviously it depends on what seems best for the person’s long-term spiritual health. What does love do, and when does it do it? Proverbs 19 gives opposite thoughts: We are to have “pity” and lend our assistance (v.17), yet there are dangers in rescuing another because you might need to do it again (v.19). Providing the right help requires wisdom beyond our own.

God hasn’t left us on our own. He will give us the wisdom when we ask Him. And as we lean on Him, our own roots will grow deep in Him as well.

— Anne Cetas

We lack wisdom, Lord, in many situations.
We know we’ll make mistakes, but teach us to
be dependent on You. Thank You that You will
be faithful. Grow our roots deep in You.

Real wisdom is looking at the world from God’s point of view. 

ODJ: grow up

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August 26, 2013 

READ: 1 Corinthians 3:1-4 

You are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? (v.3).

A couple in their late 50s recently decided to divorce, but they both refused to move out of their home. To resolve the impasse, a judge ordered that they halve the urban complex. This included the building of a wall to divide the living room on the first floor and sealing of the door that splits the living space on the second. The husband had construction workers build a spiral staircase, allowing him to get more easily from his living room to his dining room. He’s also made his ex-wife’s life a nightmare by yelling and banging on the walls. They each vow to stay in the house until the other moves out.
What a sad picture of childish and divisive behaviour! This is precisely the type of behaviour that the apostle Paul had to address with the Corinthian believers. Though the believers in Corinth had received the Holy Spirit and the mind of Christ, these realities didn’t keep them from exhibiting divisive behaviour. In fact, they seemed to be in the same place as when Paul left them.

Thus, in 1 Corinthians 3:1, he called them mere infants in Christ because they were unable to move beyond milk (basics of the gospel) to solid food (appropriating the gospel to their present behaviour). Their jealousy and quarrelling splintered them into unhealthy factions and showed that they were still under the influence of a value system that was opposed to God (3:3-4).

As believers in Jesus, we must do more than believe the gospel—we need to apply the gospel to every facet of our lives, including our relationships with one another. When we live out the gospel, we move beyond jealousy, quarrels, and factions and grow towards spiritual maturity. —Marvin Williams

MORE
Read Galatians 5:16 and James 4:1. Why do we satisfy the appetites of our flesh and why do we quarrel? 
NEXT
In what areas of your life do you need to grow spiritually? How do your relationships need the power of the gospel?  

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: The Next Chapter

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August 25, 2013 

READ: Hebrews 12:1-11 

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. —Hebrews 12:1-2 

Steve was almost 5 when his father, missionary pilot Nate Saint, was killed in 1956, along with four other men, by the Waodani tribe in Ecuador. But as a result of the love and forgiveness demonstrated by the families of the martyred men, there is now a growing community of believers among the Waodani.

As an adult, Steve moved back to Ecuador and became friends with Mincaye, one of the men who killed his father. Steve’s motto is: “Let God Write Your Story.” He says, “You have a lot of people . . . who want to write their own story and have God be their editor when [it] goes wrong. I decided long ago to let God write my story.” When Steve suffered a serious accident in 2012, he reassured his family: “Let’s let God write this chapter too.” His faith continues to carry him toward recovery.

The story continues to unfold for all followers of Jesus Christ. None of us knows how the next chapter of our life will read. But as we look to Jesus and “run with endurance the race that is set before us,” we can trust Him—the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:1-2). Jesus wrote the beginning of our story, and He’ll write the next chapter and the ending as well.

— Cindy Hess Kasper

When we stand with Christ in glory,
Looking o’er life’s finished story,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe. —McCheyne

Let your life tell the story of Christ’s love and mercy to the world around you. 

ODJ: no offence

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August 25, 2013 

READ: John 3:16-17 

God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him (v.17).

I’ve been inspired by the book The Next Christians by Gabe Lyons. One of its most profound messages is that Christians who are serious about restoring the broken are not “offended” by their depraved lifestyles. Rather than condemn and pull away from people whose lives are messed up after years of drug abuse, sexual immorality or greedy materialism, Lyons says we should meet people where they are. This includes reaching out and offering the hope of restoration found in Jesus.
Instead of running from the messiness that might typically offend some, we should run into the mess. For example, my daughter recently spent 2 months going into bars in Thailand declaring God’s love to the young women trapped in the sex-trade industry.

Christians who don’t get offended by the world take their cues from Jesus Himself. He wasn’t offended by everyday sinners, social outcasts or outsiders. The woman caught in adultery didn’t offend Jesus (John 8:3-11). Neither did the leper who asked for healing (Matthew 8:1-4), the wealthy tax collector everyone hated (Luke 19:2-10), nor the woman with an immoral reputation who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears (7:36-50).

Even a Roman centurion didn’t offend Jesus (Matthew 8:5-13). Centurions were the backbone of the Roman army. They provided the muscle that enforced Rome’s occupation of the Jews and would eventually carry out Jesus’ execution. But Jesus wasn’t put off when the officer asked Him to heal his servant. In fact, He publicly praised his faith (v.10).

Jesus, may our desire to see and engage people (faults and all) as You did be stronger than our urge to become offended and pull away. —Jeff Olson

› Matthew 20:1-19

MORE
Read Romans 6:14 and note what it says about believers in Jesus and what they “live under”.  
NEXT
What sins of the world tend to offend you most? Where might God be calling you to be less offended and more engaged in ministry? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: On My Side

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August 24, 2013 

READ: Psalm 118:1-6 

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. —Psalm 118:6 

After diminutive Olympic athlete Gabby Douglas captured two gold medals in the 2012 London Games, she made this proclamation: “God will never fail you. He’s always on your side.”

Sometimes this kind of statement by an athlete can be misunderstood. It can be taken to mean that if I’m competing against you in a sports contest and I have God’s help, there is no way I can lose. But if we turn to Psalm 118:5-6, we get the true picture of what this line means. The psalmist wrote, “I called on the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.”

Another version translates verse 6 as “the Lord is with me” (niv). It’s the idea that when trouble comes into our lives, God, who is full of mercy and love (which “endures forever,” v.4) will always be attentive to us and provide the protection we need.

We don’t have to be an Olympic champion to appreciate this kind of divine attention. This is what we need when the economy falters and our finances can’t keep up. It’s what we need when a relationship we cherished falls apart. No matter what our situation, as Christ-followers we know where to find help. “The Lord is on my side.”

— Dave Branon

Be still, my soul—the Lord is on thy side!
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide—
In every change He faithful will remain. —von Schlegel

In the midst of every trial, God is on our side. 

ODJ: lesson in humility

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August 24, 2013 

READ: Proverbs 3:5-12 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take (vv.5-6).

I know you’ve tried your best, but your best isn’t good enough.” If someone said those discouraging words to you, your thoughts might be something like, Whoa! Come on, I’ve been doing my best. Surely, that’s worth something!
Well, yes and no. Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of Isaiah 64:6 reads: “We’re all sin-infected, sin-contaminated. Our best efforts are grease-stained rags” (The Message). Besides, objectively speaking, it’s possible that our best might not meet the mark, due to a lack of experience, knowledge or skill.

So while it is only right that we do our very best, it is never right when we take pride in our best efforts.

Pride is a Christian’s greatest enemy. It inclines us to depend on our own understanding and not to seek God’s will in all that we do. As Christians, we are always to be learning to say, “I can’t live up to this demand, I can’t do this thing that is asked of me; but He can, therefore I can.”

Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, was a marvellous example. He wrote: “It makes no matter where He places me, or how. That is rather for Him to consider than me; for in the easiest positions He must give me grace, and in the most difficult, His grace is sufficient. So, if God places me in great perplexity, must He not give me much guidance; in positions of great difficulty, much grace; in circumstances of great pressure and trial, much strength?”

God knows how easily I can be “impressed with [my] own wisdom” (Proverbs 3:7) and desire that my best efforts be noticed and rewarded. As my loving Father, He corrects me (vv.11-12). So, when you receive a disparaging remark for your best effort, stop and consider: is my loving Father teaching me a lesson in humility? —Poh Fang Chia

Mark 10:17-31 ‹

MORE
In Numbers 12, Miriam demanded that her good efforts be recognised. What was the result of her demands?  
NEXT
Should God or you be praised when others see your best efforts? Why is it important for us to be humble before God and others? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: The Gift Of Light

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August 23, 2013 

READ: John 8:12-20 

I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. —John 8:12 

Sir Christopher Wren designed and built more than 50 church buildings in London during the late 1600s. His design style had two prominent features—the first of which was sturdy, tall steeples. The second, however, was more profound. Wren was convinced that all of the windows in his churches must use clear glass as opposed to the stained glass so popular in churches of that era. In part, his reason for the clear glass is found in words attributed to him: “God’s greatest gift to man is light.” Allowing light to bathe people as they worshiped was, to Wren, a celebration of that gift.

In the Genesis account, on the first day of creation God made light (1:3). The light God created is even more than just a means by which to see. It’s a picture of what Christ brought when He entered this darkened world. In John 8:12, our Lord said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” To the follower of Christ, light is one of the great reminders of the character of our Savior and the quality of the life He has given us through His sacrifice on the cross.

Wren was right. God’s greatest gift to man is light—Jesus Christ, the Light of the world!

— Bill Crowder

Creator God, I thank You that You spoke light
into the darkness of the universe, and I thank
You that You brought light into the darkness
of my heart through Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus came to give light to a dark world. 

ODJ: shameless persistence

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August 23, 2013 

READ: Luke 18:1-8  

Always pray and never give up (v.1).

It was supposed to be one of those ‘in and out’ trips to the shop—all I needed was laundry detergent. But then my daughter spotted some toys for sale. She begged, “Can we look at the toys?” I responded with, “Maybe.” Then she used a negotiation tactic popular with children—shameless persistence. “Mum, pleeeeease?” She kept up the requests until we finally ended up knee-deep in baby dolls and books.
Spiritually speaking, God doesn’t mind persistence in His children. The Bible encourages us to always “pray and never give up” (Luke 18:1). In fact, Jesus told a story about a widow who badgered a judge with repeated requests for justice (v.3). The judge had a bad reputation, and yet he thought: “I’m going to see that [this woman] gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests” (v.5). Even the crooked judge handed down “a just decision in the end” (v.7).

Since God is a righteous judge (Psalm 7:11), Jesus assured us that “God will surely give justice to His chosen people who cry out to Him day and night” (Luke 18:7). Besides justice, God also gives “good gifts” and the Holy Spirit’s help to those who ask Him (Matt. 7:11; Luke 11:13).

Are you struggling to ask and knock with the fervour of the persistent widow? Maybe you’ve prayed about something, but then gave up and tried to fix the issue yourself. If so, remember that God is able to “accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).

Going back to God again and again puts the outcome in His hands. And it allows us to say, “Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” (Psalm 116:2). —Jennifer Benson Schuldt

MORE
Read Deuteronomy 10:10 to see how God answered Moses’ persistent intercessory prayers.  
NEXT
What’s the difference between vain repetition in prayer (Matthew 6:7) and “shameless persistence”? (Luke 11:8). What do you need to pray about today? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Thumbs Up

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August 22, 2013 

READ: Matthew 5:17-20 

The entirety of Your Word is truth. —Psalm 119:160 

Pandora is one of the musical marvels of the Internet age. It helps you create your own personal radio station by allowing you to “customize” your music. It plays a song and you then click a thumbs up or thumbs down sign to indicate whether or not you like it. You end up with a grouping of only songs that you like.

Unfortunately, sometimes we do that with the Bible too. People may choose some Scripture passages they especially like and ignore others, and so they “customize” it to their preferences. The psalmist looked at God’s Word this way: “The entirety of Your Word is truth” (Ps. 119:160). And the apostle Paul told Timothy, a young pastor, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable” (2 Tim. 3:16).

The Scriptures were important to Jesus (Matt. 5:17-18), but He looked at them differently than the religious leaders of His day. To Him, “You shall not murder” was on the level of being “angry with [a] brother without a cause” (vv.21-22). Far from customizing Scripture, He was concerned about the motivation of people’s hearts in applying all of it.

As we embrace God’s Word more fully, we’ll know Him more deeply and desire to honor Him.

— Marvin Williams

Lord, I don’t want to treat Your Word lightly or
to dismiss what seems too difficult. Show me
my heart and help me to obey from the heart
whatever You tell me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

When you open your Bible, ask the Author to open your heart.