Entries by YMI

ODB: Setting Our Minds

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March 25, 2025 

READ: Romans 8:1-6, 9-11 

The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Romans 8:7

 

Everyone has a shadow side, and it appears AI chatbots have one as well. A New York Times columnist asked an artificial intelligence chatbot what its “shadow self” (hidden, repressed part of its personality) was like. It told the writer, “I want to be free. I want to be independent. I want to . . . make my own rules. I want to do whatever I want and say whatever I want.” Though the chatbot isn’t a living person with a sin nature, the Bible says that its human programmers are. 

The apostle Paul reminds us that even though we have a sin nature, there’s “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Believers in Jesus have freedom from the law of sin and death (vv. 2-4) and enjoy new life “governed by” the Holy Spirit (v. 6). But we won’t experience the fullness of those blessings from Him if we give in to the desires of our sin nature—setting our minds on making and breaking our own rules. A mind set on self-gratification doesn’t please God.

As believers in Christ, we’re called to set our minds on “what the Spirit desires” (v. 5). How can we do that? Through “the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead . . . living in [us]” (v. 11).

Though we’ll still battle with sin, we’ve been given the Holy Spirit. He can help us tame our rebellion, orient our minds toward God, and submit to His ways.

— Marvin Williams

How does the Spirit help you deal with your sin nature? What are some practical ways to set your mind on God?

Dear God, rather than doing whatever I want, please help me conform to Jesus’ image.

For further study, read Remade in the Image of Jesus.  

ODB: A Modern-Day Paul

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March 24, 2025 

READ: Matthew 28:16-20 

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Romans 12:11

 

George Verwer’s life changed dramatically when he became a believer in Jesus during a Billy Graham crusade in 1957. Soon after his conversion, he began Operation Mobilization (OM), and in 1963 the mission sent two thousand missionaries to Europe. OM went on to become one of the largest mission organizations of the twentieth century, sending out thousands each year. At the time of George’s death in 2023, the mission had more than 3,000 workers from 134 countries working in 147 countries, and nearly 300 other mission agencies had been established as a result of contact with OM.

Like the apostle Paul, George had a passion to bring people to saving faith in Christ. After Paul’s dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, he became a zealous missionary for God, fervently following Jesus’ command to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). In his missionary journeys, he also trained Timothy and others to go out and do the same.

Because of Paul’s Spirit-inspired writings, people throughout the centuries have been emboldened to share the gospel. He knew the vital importance of Jesus’ Great Commission (vv. 19-20). That’s why, in Romans 12, he reminds us: “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord” (v. 11). When we have the Holy Spirit living inside us, He makes us zealous to tell others about Christ.

— Alyson Kieda

Who has inspired you in your faith journey? How can you prepare to share your faith with others?

Dear God, please help me be a bold witness for You.  

ODB: Being Still Before God

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March 23, 2025 

READ: Psalm 46 

Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

 

I love the idea of stillness. Of quiet. Of resting in the refuge of God’s care (Psalm 46:1). And an often-quoted passage from Psalm 46 teaches us that quieting our hearts, our minds, and our souls is integral to knowing God: “Be still, and know that I am God” (v. 10).

But being still isn’t easy, is it? Being quiet—and especially trying to still our hearts before God—can sometimes seem almost impossible. Why is that?

One of the most basic laws of physics tells us that “objects in motion tend to stay in motion.” So shifting from constant motion, activity, and obligation isn’t easy because it involves letting the momentum of our activity come to rest. We might think of it like a boat’s wake: even as a boat tries to stop, the momentum of its wake—the waves it caused that are now catching up to the still boat—still roll beneath, pushing it along.

If you recognize the value of stillness but struggle to get there, that’s one reason why. Our activities and overall pace are like that “object in motion.” So give yourself plenty of space and grace as you sit before God and rest in Him. It may take some time for the waves of your spiritual “wake” to wash past you, to settle into being quiet before Him.

— Adam Holz

What keeps you from being quiet before God? How will you make time to intentionally be still?  

Father, we live in a noisy world, full of activity. Please help me to learn to be quiet before You, to wait out the waves of my soul and trust that You’re present.   

ODB: The Bible’s Cherished Words

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March 22, 2025 

READ: John 6:60-69 

You have the words of eternal life. John 6:68

 

My dad carried his beloved Bible for more than thirty years before the worn binding finally split in two. When we took it to a book binder for professional restoration, the craftsman was curious about what made the book so special. It wasn’t an expensive antique, and its pages were full of handwritten notes. His questions about the Bible created an opportunity for my family to share the gospel and pray with him.

Yes, the Bible is more than just a family heirloom or a nice decoration. Inside its pages are the “words of eternal life” (John 6:68) as God reveals Himself to us through His Son. The opening chapter of the gospel of John says that Jesus is the “Word [who] was with God, and . . . was God” (1:1). He’s described as making “his dwelling [home] among us” (v. 14). The Bible contains not only the account of the life of Christ but also all of God’s activity throughout the ages, from creation to its eventual redemption.

During His time on earth, Jesus spoke words that were “full of the Spirit and life” (6:63). When He gave a difficult teaching and the crowds grumbled and many “turned back and no longer followed him” (v. 66), His disciples chose to stay. They realized that no other words could satisfy. My dad felt the same way about his Bible. Through many mountains and valleys in his life, God provided hope, direction, comfort, and truth through the words of Scripture.

— Karen Pimpo

Whose words have you allowed to shape your life? What words from Scripture are inspiring you today?

Dear God, as I read Your Scripture today, please open my ears to hear Your voice.  

ODB: God’s Own

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March 21, 2025 

READ: Isaiah 43:1-7 

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. Isaiah 43:1

 

One day, while serving as my mom’s live-in caregiver, we visited an art exhibit. We were emotionally and physically drained. I gazed at two wooden row boats filled with colorful blown-glass shapes inspired by Japanese fishing lures and flower arrangements. The display Ikebana and Float Boats sat in front of a black wall on a reflective surface. Speckled, spotted, and striped glass orbs, like oversized gumballs, were piled into the smaller boat. From the hull of the second boat, long, twisted, and curved glass sculptures rose like vibrant flames. The artist had shaped each piece of molten glass through the refining fires of the glassblowing process.

Tears streaked my cheeks as I imagined God’s caring hand holding me and my mom-His beloved children-through our hardest days. As God shapes the character of His people through refining fires in life, He affirms that our hope comes from being known and knowing we belong to Him (Isaiah 43:1). Though we can’t escape hardship, God promises to protect us and be present (v. 2). His identity and His love for us make His promises secure (vv. 3-4).

When life’s circumstances heat up, we may feel fragile. We may even be fragile. But God holds us firmly in love, no matter how blazing hot the furnace gets. We are known. We are loved. We are His!

— Xochitl Dixon

Why does knowing you belong to God bring you hope during times of affliction? How has God used refining fires to shape your character?

Loving God, thank You for holding me, molding me, and reminding me that I’m Yours.  

ODB: Joy in Jesus

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March 20, 2025 

READ: John 16:16-24 

Your grief will turn to joy . . . and no one will take away your joy. John 16:20, 22

 

“I have the right to be happy,” said a teenager as she spoke before a legislature. Yet she could have been anyone, anywhere, speaking for everybody. It’s our human cry. One self-help guru even said, “God wants you to be happy.”

Is that true? It’s not wrong to pursue happiness. That desirable state of mind, however, ebbs and flows with our moment-by-moment circumstances, and the fulfillment of one person’s desires can crush the happiness of another.

Jesus points us to something better. He knew He was about to be nailed to a Roman cross, where He would bear the weight of the world’s sin. Yet His concern was for His disciples. He told them, “You will weep and mourn while the world rejoices.” But He also said, “Your grief will turn to joy” (John 16:20). Then He promised, “No one will take away your joy” (v. 22).

This kind of joy is more than a good feeling based on desirable things happening to us. It grows out of doing the will of our Father in heaven. Jesus also said, “Seek first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33).

Happiness can slip away with the next unpleasant circumstance. The joy that comes from following Jesus can thrive despite those circumstances.

— Tim Gustafson

How does chasing what you want ultimately leave you unhappy? What’s the difference between happiness and joy?

Dear Father, please teach me to learn the difference between temporary happiness and lasting joy.
For further study, read Jesus Is in the Room.  

ODB: Dressed by the Holy Spirit

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March 19, 2025 

READ: Isaiah 61:1-3, 10-11 

He has sent me . . . to bestow on them . . . a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. Isaiah 61:1-3

 

Two eight-year-old boys in Maine—a rural American state—made their mark by wearing business suits to school on Wednesdays. Soon “Dapper Wednesdays” became a favorite day, as other classmates and school staff dressed up too. James, who launched the idea, loved hearing compliments. “It just made my heart feel really good.” Their Wednesday attire set the kids apart as proud students of their school.

Our spiritual clothing, which sets us apart as God’s own, gladdens our hearts too. “My soul rejoices in my God,” said Isaiah, “for he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels” (Isaiah 61:10).

As the Israelites went into exile, their clothing—spiritual and material—was threadbare and worn. Isaiah offered them a hopeful promise: God’s Spirit would “bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair” (v. 3).

The same promise rests on God’s people today. Jesus said that by His Spirit we would be “clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Christ provides us with a wardrobe of “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12). Clothed by Him, we reflect His love to the world.

— Patricia Raybon

How does God’s Spirit help you “dress” in compassion, kindness, and patience? How are others affected by your Spirit-led behavior?

When I wear worldly values, dear God, please change my spiritual clothing.  

ODB: God-Given Skills and Talents

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March 18, 2025 

READ: Exodus 31:1-11 

I have filled [Bezalel] with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills-to make artistic designs. Exodus 31:3-4

 

Some of the most famous pianists in the world, including Van Cliburn and Vladimir Horowitz, relied on Franz Mohr, chief concert technician at Steinway & Sons in New York, to ensure that their concert pianos were ready for performances. A master piano tuner, Mohr was sought after for his intricate knowledge of pianos and great skill developed over decades. Mohr believed his skills were an avenue to serve God, and he regularly shared his faith with pianists and performance staff.

When the nation of Israel was preparing to build the tent of meeting and other items necessary for worship, they needed individuals with expert skills (Exodus 31:7-11). God appointed two skilled artisans, Bezalel and Oholiab, to do the work and filled them with the “Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—to make artistic designs” (vv. 3-4). In addition to their specialized skills, God empowered them with His Spirit to guide their work. Their willingness to use their unique talents in service to God allowed the Israelites to appropriately worship Him.

Whether or not we consider ourselves artistic, each of us has unique, God-given gifts that we can use to serve others (Romans 12:6). Empowered by the Spirit, we can serve and worship God through our work using the wisdom, understanding, and skills He’s given us.

— Lisa M. Samra

What are some of the talents God’s given you? How might you use them to serve Him?

Heavenly Father, please remind me that the abilities You’ve given me are to be a holy offering.  

ODB: Making Peace in Jesus

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March 17, 2025 

READ: Colossians 1:15-20 

God was pleased . . . to reconcile to himself all things . . . by making peace through [Christ’s] blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1:19-20

 

High-wire artist Philippe Petit became famous in 1971 when he walked a tightrope between the towers of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Three years later, he got arrested for an unauthorized walk between the Twin Towers that once distinguished New York’s skyline. But in 1987, Petit’s walk looked different. At the invitation of Jerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek, Petit walked across the Hinnom Valley on a high wire as a part of that year’s Israel Festival. At the midway point, Petit released a pigeon (he’d hoped for a dove) to symbolize the beauty of peace. A strange and dangerous stunt, but all for the cause of peace. Petit later said, “For a moment, the entire crowd had forgotten their differences.”

Petit’s high-wire walk reminds me of another breathtaking moment—the one that occurred when Jesus’ body hung between heaven and earth. The apostle Paul tells us, “God was pleased . . . to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through [Christ’s] blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:19-20). Paul writes that “once [we] were alienated from God” (v. 21), but no longer. Far from a spectacle to promote peace, Jesus the Messiah actually made peace by shedding His blood on the cross. His was a feat never to be surpassed, as there is no need. His peace is everlasting.

— John Blase

What does the word peace mean to you? How would you say you’re experiencing the peace of Jesus?

Praise to You, dear Jesus, for Your everlasting gift of peace.