Entries by YMI

ODJ: little town of bethlehem

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December 24, 2015 

READ: Luke 2:1-7 

While they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son (vv.6-7).

December can be filled with a lot of traveling. Some take vacations at exotic, faraway destinations. Adult children go home to see their parents. Relatives and friends come for a visit.

But this Christmas, would you take a 90-mile road trip by foot down dangerous mountain roads? Would you travel to a place where all the 5-star hotels (and 1- to 4-stars, too) were fully booked? Would you still make the journey if your wife was about to give birth to your first child?

For one young couple, there was no choice about their difficult journey. Mary and Joseph were compelled by law to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem—easily 4 days of travel time (Luke 2:2-6).

Bethlehem was the burial place of Rachel—wife of Jacob. The love story of Boaz and Ruth took place here. Besides being also the hometown of David, Israel’s greatest king, there isn’t much more about this little village that’s really worth discussing. In fact, Bethlehem is well-known because of its insignificance. It’s famous for being the least of all villages in Judea (Matthew 2:6).

But on that special night long ago, something of cosmic and eternal significance occurred in the little town of Bethlehem. “While they were there, . . . [Mary] gave birth to her first child, a son” (Luke 2:6-7). The prophet Micah spoke of this birth hundreds of years before. “You, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf” (Micah 5:2).

One other thing about Bethlehem—it means “house of bread.” So it’s fitting that this was the birthplace of Jesus, the Bread of Life (John 6:35). His journey to earth has made all the difference.

—K.T. Sim

365-day-plan: 2 Peter 1:2-21

MORE
Read Luke 2:15-20 and Matthew 2:1-12 and consider the journeys that certain people made to see Jesus just after His birth. 
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What is God teaching you about what it means to trust Him in life’s journey? How does Jesus’ story encourage you to follow God by faith? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Christmas Mystery

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December 24, 2015 

READ: 1 Timothy 3:14-16 

The mystery from which true godliness springs is great.

1 Timothy 3:16

 

As Charles Dickens’ story A Christmas Carol begins, there is mystery surrounding Ebenezer Scrooge. Why is he so mean-spirited? How did he become so selfish? Then, slowly, as the Christmas spirits marched Scrooge through his own story, things become clearer. We see the influences that changed him from a happy youth into a selfish miser. We observe his isolation and his brokenness. As the mystery is solved, we also glimpse the path to restoration. Concern for others pulls Scrooge from his self-absorbed darkness into a new joy.

A far more important mystery, and one much harder to explain, is that which Paul spoke of in 1 Timothy 3:16: “Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” Extraordinary! God “appeared in the flesh.”

The mystery of Christmas is how God could become man while remaining fully God. It defies human explanation, but in the perfect wisdom of God, it was the plan of the ages.

“What child is this?” He is Jesus Christ—God revealed in the flesh.

— Bill Crowder

This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing:

Haste, haste to bring Him laud, the babe, the son of Mary. Traditional carol

God made His home with us so that we might make our home with Him.  

ODJ: joy to the world

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December 23, 2015 

READ: Psalm 98:1-9 

Shout to the Lord , all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy! (v.4).

For two of my friends, this yuletide season will be a difficult one. They’ve both lost loved ones during this period, and the festive season reminds them of the painful absence. Sometimes it’s hard to feel joyous during Christmas.

While this season would hardly seem complete without the singing of “Joy to the World,” how can we sing for joy when our heart is grieving in pain? The song was penned by Isaac Watts, not as a Christmas carol but as a reinterpretation of Psalm 98—a psalm that calls the earth to praise God in view of His coming reign. The lyrics contain rich themes of Jesus’ coming to dwell among us as a human being, so most hymnals list the song as an Advent carol.

And, indeed, the fact that Christ came in the flesh is grounds for true joy. Preacher Charles Simeon termed it as the “most marvelous occurrence that ever the world beheld.” Consider this: The King of Kings wasn’t born in a palace, but in a lowly stable. And He became accessible to regular folks like you and me.

Why did He come? The Lord “remembered his promise to love and be faithful” (v.3). He came to save (v.1), announce His victory, and reveal His righteousness (v.2).

When we think about Christmas and face it with tears—like my friends, we still have hope: Jesus is coming again. The baby who was placed in a manger will wipe every tear from our eyes, and we will enjoy His blessings forever (Revelation 21:4).

As you hear and sing “Joy to the World” this season, may the lyrics bring you joy, for “The Lord is come!” “The Savior reigns,” “He comes to make His blessings flow,” and “He rules the world with truth and grace.” Yes, joy to the world—for our Savior has come!

—Poh Fang Chia

365-day-plan: 1 Peter 3:1-22

MORE
Read Luke 2:8-14 and consider the good news of great joy that the angels proclaimed on Christmas morning. 
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What are some of the things Jesus made possible through His coming? What joyous hope do we look forward to at His second coming? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: One Size Fits All

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December 23, 2015 

READ: John 3:10-21 

Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

 

Like most children, I thoroughly enjoyed Christmas. With great anticipation, I would snoop under the tree to see what toys and games awaited my eager grasp. So I felt deflated when I started getting things like shirts and pants. Grownup gifts were no fun! Then last Christmas, my kids gave me some cool socks with bright colors and designs. I almost felt young again! Even grownups could wear these socks, as the label reassured me: “One size fits all.”

That welcome phrase “one size fits all” reminds me of the best gift of Christmas—the good news that Jesus is for everyone. The point was proven when the first invitation sent by angel choirs was to shepherds on the bottom rung of the social ladder. The news was underscored further when the VIPs—the wealthy and powerful Magi—followed the star to come and worship the Christ-child.

After Jesus began His ministry, an influential member of the Jewish ruling council came to Him at night. In the course of their conversation, Jesus invited “whoever believes” to come to Him. The simple act of faith in Christ grants eternal life to those who trust in Him (John 3:16).

If Jesus were just for the poor and marginalized, or only for the famous and fortunate, many of us would not qualify. But Christ is for everyone, regardless of status, financial situation, or social standing. He is the only gift truly fit for all.

— Joe Stowell

Thank You, Lord, that no one is unqualified for the gift of Your love. Teach us to rejoice in the fact that Your love was just right for us, and help us to share that love with others.

God’s gift to a dying world is the life-giving Savior.  

ODJ: what’s your fragrance?

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December 22, 2015 

READ: 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 

Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing (v.15).

A colleague approached me in front of some coworkers and asked, “So what’s your attitude, as a Christian, to euthanasia?” Everyone stopped their conversation and all eyes were on me. I spent 20 minutes not in debate, but trying to share the aroma of Christ with those who didn’t know Him: His love, compassion, unchanging character, and absolute righteousness. As I shared about Jesus and His love, I prayed that my coworkers would get a whiff of the character of God—not the erudite arguments of a theologian.

Paul starts out his second letter to the church in Corinth with a number of exhortations, including: We are called to smell of Jesus wherever we go, not merely among other believers (2 Corinthians 2:15). It’s so easy to sound and look spiritual—to say Christian things using spiritual words on a Sunday morning; but when a nonbeliever, maybe an anarchist (like my work colleague), asks for a real answer to a hot topic, is our reply permeated with the beautiful aroma of Christ? If not, do we fudge the issue or launch into a fiery debate?

The apostle encouraged the early church to be so full of Jesus’ love that He couldn’t be hidden. The aroma of Christ would go before them, pervading all their conversations and lingering behind long after His chosen vessel had left their company. When we speak to other believers, it builds their faith and brings more life; to those who reject the gospel and sneer, it makes their spiritual death even more obvious as they willingly reject the Savior (v.16).

What a marvelous image and a challenging lesson for us! In all circumstances and in all conversations, may we “with sincerity and with Christ’s authority” reveal His fragrance (v.17).

—Russell Fralick

365-day-plan: 1 Peter 2:1-25

MORE
Read 2 Corinthians 13:5 and consider how examining your walk with Jesus can help you emit a more Christlike fragrance. 
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What are some marks of a person who possesses a Christlike scent? How will you spread the fragrance of Jesus in your sphere of influence today? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: The Drummer Boy

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December 22, 2015 

READ: Luke 21:1-4 

She out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.

Luke 21:4

 

“The Little Drummer Boy” is a popular Christmas song written in 1941. It was originally known as “Carol of the Drum” and is based on a traditional Czech carol. Although there isn’t any reference to a drummer boy in the Christmas story in Matthew 1–2 and Luke 2, the point of the carol goes straight to the heart of the meaning of worship. The carol describes how a boy is summoned by the Magi to the scene of Christ’s birth. Unlike the wise men, however, the drummer has no gift—so he gives what he has. He plays his drum, saying, “I played my best for Him.”

This echoes the worship Jesus described when He told of the widow and her two coins: “ ‘Truly I tell you,’ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on’ ” (Luke 21:3-4).

All the drummer boy had was his drum and all the poor widow had were her two coins, but the God they worshiped was worthy of their all. He is worthy of our all as well, having given His all for us.

— Bill Crowder

All to Jesus, I surrender, all to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live. Judson W. Van De Venter

Your little is a lot when you give your all.  

ODJ: religious actors

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December 21, 2015 

READ: Matthew 6:1-18 

Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven (v.1).

It’s likely that during Jesus’ day, just a few hours walk from where He gave His Sermon on the Mount, stood the great theater of Sepphoris. The governor of Galilee, Herod Antipas, had turned the hilltop town into a cosmopolitan center full of markets, synagogues, public baths, and temples. It boasted paved streets, frescoed walls, and beautiful mosaics.

The theater was truly impressive. Built with semicircular rows facing the stage, it could accommodate more than 4,500 people. Here the citizens were entertained by the “hypocrites”—actors who wore masks and costumes as they performed Greek plays.

“When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do,” Jesus said, lifting the word from the stage and giving it the meaning we know today (Matthew 6:2). “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites,” He added (v.5). “When you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do,” He instructed (v.16). When you give, pray, and fast, don’t be like the religious actors who turn spirituality into a performance for the applause of the crowd.

There is ultimately nothing wrong with giving or praying in public, nor with others knowing that we’re fasting. But the sad fact is that we can give in order to be praised, pray in order to be applauded, fast in order to be congratulated—in short, “looking spiritual” to be admired. When we’re tempted to do this, Jesus said it’s time to hide our giving (6:3-4), pray in our closets (v.6), fast in secret (v.17), and quit acting.

True spirituality should be centered on loving God and others (22:37-39). Our religious acts may be seen by others, but they’re to be done out of love for God who has lavished His great love on us.

—Sheridan Voysey

365-day-plan: James 3:1-12

MORE
Read Romans 12:1 and consider what it means for you to worship God with your words and actions. 
NEXT
Do you ever do spiritual things out of the secret desire for praise? What Christ-honoring act can you do today that only God will know about? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Amazing Love

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December 21, 2015 

READ: John 6:32-40 

I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.

John 6:38

 

Approaching the first Christmas after her husband died, our friend Davidene wrote a remarkable letter in which she pictured what it might have been like in heaven when Jesus was born on earth. “It was what God always knew would happen,” she wrote. “The three were one, and He had agreed to allow the fracturing of His precious unity for our sake. Heaven was left empty of God the Son.”

As Jesus taught and healed people on earth, He said, “I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. . . . For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day” (John 6:38,40).

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, it was the beginning of His mission on earth to demonstrate God’s love and give His life on the cross to free us from the penalty and power of sin.

“I cannot imagine actually choosing to let go of the one I loved, with whom I was one, for the sake of anyone else,” Davidene concluded. “But God did. He faced a house much emptier than mine, so that I could live in His house with Him forever.”

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son” (John 3:16).

— David McCasland

Father in heaven, we are in awe of Your amazing love for us. Thank You for giving Your only Son to save us from our sins.

The birth of Christ brought God to man; the cross of Christ brings man to God.