Entries by YMI

ODB: Looking Down

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August 13, 2013 

READ: Luke 18:9-14 

I say . . . to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly. —Romans 12:3 

After I had minor eye surgery, the nurse told me, “Don’t look down for the next 2 weeks. No cooking or cleaning.” The last part of those instructions was a little easier to take than the first part! The incisions needed to heal, and she didn’t want me to put any unnecessary pressure on them by looking down.

C. S. Lewis wrote about another kind of looking down that we may have a problem with: “In God you come up against something which is in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself. . . . As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you” (Mere Christianity).

Jesus told a parable about a Pharisee who felt superior to others. In a prideful prayer, he thanked God that he was not like other men (Luke 18:11). He looked down on extortioners, the unjust, adulterers, and the tax collector who was also praying in the temple. By contrast, the tax collector knew he was a sinner before God and asked for His mercy (v.13).

Pride can be an issue for all of us. May we not look down on others but instead see the God who is far above us all.

— Anne Cetas

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride. —Watts

Spiritual pride is the most arrogant of all kinds of pride. 

ODJ: amen

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August 13, 2013 

READ: 2 Chronicles 7:1-10 

When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the Lord filled the temple (v.1).

Amen! We typically say it at the end of our prayers, but Amen has more significance than simply being the last word in a prayer. Of the 30 times it’s used in the Old Testament, Amen is nearly always a response of approval to something that has been stated.
God seemed to respond to Solomon’s dedicatory prayer for the temple with, Amen, let it be so! Upon the completion of the temple, Solomon and the people gathered together to dedicate it. While reigning in heaven, God had chosen to reveal His presence on earth from the newly built edifice. After blessing the people, Solomon offered a prayer of dedication to the Lord. This prayer was one of humility (2 Chronicles 6:12-13), recognition of the faithfulness of God (vv.14-15), desire for justice (vv.22-23), forgiveness and repentance (vv.24-27), desire to see the foreigner experience God’s presence (vv.32-33) and a prayer for the Lord’s enduring presence in the temple (vv.41-42).

God answered Solomon’s prayer in dramatic fashion. Fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offerings, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple (7:1). God was approving the dedication and use of the temple as He had intended—for encounters between Himself and His people through sacrifices and prayer. Yes, it’s as if God said “Amen” to Solomon’s prayer.

As believers in Jesus, our body is the new temple where God dwells. He dwells there by the presence of the Holy Spirit. As we submit to Him, He helps us to build and orient our lives for transforming encounters with Him—the living God.

Let’s dedicate, offer and sacrifice our lives so we too can experience God’s enduring presence and His Amen. —Marvin Williams

› Luke 14:15-35

MORE
Read 2 Chronicles 5 and note the similarities and differences of the two accounts of God’s glory filling the temple.  
NEXT
What in your life do you need to rededicate to God? How have you experienced the enduring and overwhelming presence of God recently? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: The Blessed Hope

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August 12, 2013 

READ: 2 Peter 3:10-18 

[We look] for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. —Titus 2:13 

So many predictions of the end of the world have come and gone. Those predictions are unsettling and often fill people with fear. Yet the Bible does refer to a time called “the day of the Lord” when He will return. It will happen, but only God knows when.

It’s a day that Jesus’ followers can look forward to. In light of that time to come, the apostle Peter tells us how the believer can live with a joyful purpose (2 Peter 3:10-18). We can look upward by living Christ-honoring lives (v.11). We can look inward by making every effort to be found at peace with God (v.14). And we can look outward by being on guard so we aren’t carried away by the wrong influence of others (v.17).

How do we do this? By “grow[ing] in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (v.18). When we grow in character through His written Word, we begin to relate more closely to Jesus, the Living Word. The Holy Spirit takes God’s Word and guides us in the way to live.

The day of the Lord shouldn’t be a fearful day for Jesus’ followers. Our King will return to make all things right and to rule forever. We wait for that time with great anticipation. It is our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13).

— C. P. Hia

And for the hope of His return,
Dear Lord, Your name we praise;
With longing hearts we watch and wait
For that great day of days! —Sherwood

One day Jesus will return to rule and reign! 

ODJ: shamed and disarmed

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August 12, 2013 

READ: Colossians 2:13-24 

[Christ] disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities (v.15).

Hospital chaplain Matt Marino received a call to go to a patient’s room. He expected to find someone gravely ill, fearful or clinging to life. Instead, he was surprised to find a “strikingly attractive 23 year old sitting up cheerfully in the hospital bed, holding her infant daughter and chatting with family and friends.” Confused, Matt quietly asked the nurse why he had been called.
“Oh,” the nurse said, “she looks fabulous, feels great—and wants to go home.” “Then why am I here?” “Because we will be disconnecting her life support in 3 days and you will be doing her funeral in 4.” The young woman’s liver was shutting down, but she wouldn’t admit it.

There’s a moment in Paul’s letter to the Colossians that expresses a similar disconnection. But it’s not as it might appear to be. Paul announced that by Jesus’ brutal, unjust death, He “disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities” and “shamed them publicly by His victory over them on the cross” (Colossians 2:15).

But wasn’t Jesus disarmed, stripped naked and subjected to ridicule? Wasn’t the cross the shameful place where the Roman Empire made a public spectacle of Jesus, demonstrating their authority?

Not at all. Jesus disarmed the authorities by gathering onto Himself all their violence and injustice. The forces of this world exhausted themselves on Jesus, leaving them disarmed, with nothing left. Furthermore, Jesus made a “public spectacle” (v.15 NIV) of them by revealing on the cross what these powers truly were: incapable of righteousness and incapable of correct judgement.

The cross stripped the powers of their pretentious self-righteousness, and the resurrection asserted Jesus as Lord over all. —Winn Collier

MORE
Read Colossians 3:1-4. After the cross, what did the resurrection enact? What does it mean for us today?  
NEXT
What powers of this world need to be disarmed by Jesus? What does it mean for you to know that Jesus’ power is ultimate?  

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: “I’m . . . Uh . . . Sorry”

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August 11, 2013 

READ: Psalm 51:1-17 

Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. —Psalm 51:1-2 

The news is quick to report all the details of famous people’s wrongdoings and their subsequent confessions. Perhaps it’s an athlete who was arrested for driving while drunk. Or it could be a politician caught in an indiscretion. Only God knows the heart, but when we hear a stuttered “I’m . . . uh . . . sorry,” we may wonder if they are truly repentant or just sorry they got caught.

When we read the confession of the famous King David we see what looks like genuine contriteness. In his public discussion of his sins in Psalm 51, this disgraced monarch—who had an embarrassing record of flagrant sins which he had kept hidden (2 Sam. 12:1-13; Ps. 32:3-5)—pleads for mercy.

He recognized that his sin was an affront to God—not just to people—and that God alone can judge him (Ps. 51:1-6). He realized that he must be cleansed by God (vv.7-10), and he celebrated his restoration through service and worship (vv.11-17).

All of us sin and fall short of God’s glory. When we feel the heavy burden of sin weighing us down, we have the blessing of confession and forgiveness (1 John 1:9) to lift us up. Isn’t it just like our great God to turn even our sins into an opportunity to grow in His grace and power and love!

— Dave Branon

Dear Lord, please give me a humble heart
and the courage to confess my sins before You
and others. Thank You for Your promise to be
faithful to forgive my sins and to cleanse me.

Confession is agreeing with God about our sin. 

ODJ: true

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August 11, 2013 

READ: Luke 24:36-53  

Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder (v.41).

A groom stands at the end of the aisle, transfixed by his beautiful bride in her white, flowing gown. As they exchange their rings and say their marriage vows, the groom thinks to himself, This is too good to be true! In another corner of the world, a nurse places a newborn child in her mother’s arms. As the mum lovingly gazes at the pink face and tiny fingers, she’s filled with joy and wonder.
I believe this is how the disciples felt when their beloved Lord Jesus appeared before them in the upper room. “They stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder” (Luke 24:41). It was too good to be true, but it was true—Jesus was alive. He had risen from the grave!

One of the strongest proofs of the resurrection is the fact that the disciples had a hard time believing it at first. If they had immediately believed that Jesus was risen, we might think that their testimony of the resurrection had been tainted by their deep desire.

But Jesus offered the disciples His hands, feet and side for them to examine as further proof that His body was real (vv.39-40). He also ate a broiled fish before them (vv.42-43).

It’s true that Jesus died for our sins. He was raised bodily from the dead, and He offers forgiveness and eternal life to every sinner as a free gift. Even though we can be tempted to doubt it at times, its validity is detailed in God’s Word (vv.44-46).

Let’s go and proclaim the reality of Jesus’ resurrection and the good news: “There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent” (v.47). Hallelujah! —Poh Fang Chia

MORE
Read Isaiah 49:6 and Micah 4:1-2 to see what the Old Testament declared about the gospel and where it would go.  
NEXT
How has the Lord shown Himself to be real to you? Who can you share the good news with this week? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: The Power Of Compassion

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August 10, 2013 

READ: Isaiah 42:1-9 

A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench. —Isaiah 42:3 

Francis Schaeffer, author and Christian apologist, struggled to spell words correctly because of dyslexia. At the college he attended, spelling errors lowered the grade on all written assignments. During his first year, a professor told Schaeffer, “This is the best philosophy paper I’ve ever read, but it’s the worst spelling. What am I going to do? I can’t pass you.”

Francis replied, “Sir, I could never spell. Could you please just read what I’m saying and not worry about the spelling?”

After a long pause, the professor replied, “You know, Mr. Schaeffer, I think we’ll do that.” His wise, compassionate response encouraged a gifted young man who would later help many of the searching generation during the 1960s and 70s to find their way to faith in Christ.

Isaiah said of the promised Messiah, “A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth” (Isa. 42:3). The image is of a gentle, yet powerful Person who sets prisoners free and encourages those who are fainthearted and tempted to despair.

Jesus came to free us from sin, not to condemn us for our condition. Today, He offers salvation and encouragement to all who turn to Him.

— David C. McCasland

No condemnation now I dread,
I am my Lord’s and He is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine. —Wesley

When we come to Christ in our brokenness, He makes us whole. 

ODJ: vulnerable

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August 10, 2013 

READ: 2 Samuel 11:1-17 

But the Lord was displeased with what David had done (v.27).

David was commended by God as “a man after My own heart” (Acts 13:22). But when I think of David, two significant events surface: when he took down Goliath (1 Samuel 17:32-50), and when he committed adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:1-5). One showed David’s victorious faith; the other his notorious sin and defeat.
Because David had been undefeated for the past 20 years, he was overconfident and negligent in his vigilance when he chose not to lead his men to war (v.1). He was indulgent, snoozing in bed until the evening (v.2). When he got up, he saw “a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath” (v.2). This is a caution for men to be careful what they view (Job 31:1; Proverbs 6:25; Matthew 5:27-29).

The servant gave David a veiled warning: “She is Bathsheba, . . . the wife of Uriah” (2 Samuel 11:3). She was a married woman! But David was unrestrained in his sexual pursuits (Deuteronomy 17:17; 2 Samuel 5:13). He didn’t tame his sexual lust (vv.3-4). As king, he believed he was accountable to no one (Deuteronomy 17:19-20).

But Bathsheba became pregnant (2 Samuel 11:5). So David tried to make it look like Uriah was the father (vv.6-13). When that failed, he plotted Uriah’s death (vv.14-15). David broke five commandments: adultery, stealing, murder, lying and coveting (Exodus 20:13-17).

If a spiritual giant like David could sin so grievously, surely you and I are equally capable of similar or worse failures (1 Corinthians 10:12; Galatians 6:1). So let’s admit we’re vulnerable and call out for God’s strength. By His grace, we will resist temptation when it calls (Romans 5:20; 1 Corinthians 15:10). —K.T. Sim

John 10:1-18 ‹

MORE
Read Proverbs 6:20-29, 1 Corinthians 6:18, 2 Timothy 2:22 and see what God says about sexual temptation. Read Genesis 39:11-12 to see how Joseph overcame it.  
NEXT
Carefully examine your relationships. How can you prepare yourself to resist sexual temptation?  

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Belonging

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August 9, 2013 

READ: John 14:1-11 

In my Father’s house are many mansions . . . . I go to prepare a place for you. —John 14:2 

My dad was full of stories about his hometown. So you can imagine how excited I was as a child when he took our family there every summer. We fished the St. Joseph River together and visited his boyhood farm where all of his stories came to life. Although that place was never really my home, whenever I visit that town—now with grown children and grandchildren of my own—it fills me with a nostalgic sense of belonging.

Jesus talked with His disciples about His home in heaven, which He left to come and live among us. What a joy it must have been for Him to tell His disciples, “In my Father’s house are many mansions . . . . I go to prepare a place for you, . . . that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3). No doubt Jesus, “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross” (Heb. 12:2), was looking forward to returning to His heavenly home and taking His Father’s sons and daughters there to be with Him.

The thought of Jesus taking us to His Father’s home fills us with great anticipation and compels us to tell others the good news about the Son who came to rescue us from this fallen place.

— Joe Stowell

Now I belong to Jesus;
Jesus belongs to me—
Not for the years of time alone,
But for eternity. —Clayton

Only Jesus can fill us with a sense of belonging like we’ve never known before.