Entries by YMI

ODJ: don’t quit caring

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June 11, 2015 

READ: Micah 6:6-8 

This is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (v.8).

In the midst of the rain and cold of an icy winter in 2014, more than 800 illegal shack-dwelling families were evicted from their homes along the southwest coast of South Africa. Although the eviction followed a high court order to prevent further land invasions and had come after many years of wrangling between land owners and the city council, the timing and the method of the eviction caused a public outcry. There appeared to be a lack of compassion shown by the leaders involved.

Micah lived at a time when great emphasis was placed on acquiring wealth and when unjust leaders habitually oppressed and showed no compassion for the poor and vulnerable (Micah 2:1). Testing the Lord’s patience, the rich and powerful would steal from those who trusted them, seize their land by fraud or violence and cut short their inheritance (vv.2,7-9).

False prophets spoke only what the corrupt wanted to hear and wilfully ignored their wickedness (vv.6,11). Micah, on the other hand, put a stop to Israel’s self-deception and delivered a damning message from the Lord, charting the consequences for their selfish ambition (1:10-16, 2:1-5).

God, upset by the injustice, brought the full weight of His awesome presence to bear on those responsible (1:2-4). He sued them for breach of contract and violation of the covenant He had made with them through Moses (Exodus 19–24). The people responded by offering to bring sacrifices of calves, rams and rivers of olive oil as a sign of their repentance.

But all God wanted was for them to do what was right—to love mercy and to walk humbly with Him (Micah 6:8). May He help us submit to Him and His just and compassionate heart today.

—Ruth O’Reilly-Smith

365-day-plan: Luke 2:21-39

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Read James 1:27 for more on what true religion looks like and Philippians 2:4 for a reminder on how we should look out for others and not just for ourselves. 
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How have you become numb and calloused to the genuine need in your world? Soften your heart before God and ask Him to help you do what’s right, to love mercy and to walk humbly with Him today. 

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ODB: Strength in Stillness

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June 11, 2015 

READ: Exodus 14:10-14 

In quietness and confidence shall be your strength. Isaiah 30:15 

Early in my Christian life the demands of commitment made me wonder if I could make it past a year without returning to my old sinful ways. But this Scripture verse helped me: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exod. 14:14 niv). These are the words Moses spoke to the Israelites when they had just escaped from slavery in Egypt and were being pursued by Pharaoh. They were discouraged and afraid.

As a young believer, with temptations engulfing my world, this call “to be still” encouraged me. Now, some 37 years later, remaining still and calm while trusting Him in the midst of stress-laden situations has been a constant desire for my Christian living.

“Be still, and know that I am God,” the psalmist says (Ps. 46:10). When we remain still, we get to know God, “our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (v. 1). We see our weakness apart from God and recognize our need to surrender to Him. “When I am weak, then I am strong,” says the apostle Paul (2 Cor. 12:10).

Daily we grind through stress and other frustrating situations. But we can trust that He will be faithful to His promise to care for us. May we learn to be still.

— Lawrence Darmani

Sometimes the hectic demands on your day can crowd out your time with God. Find out how you can develop a regular time of Bible reading and prayer. Read In His Presence at www.discoveryseries.org/q0718

The Lord may calm your storm, but more often He’ll calm you. 

ODJ: larger than suffering

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June 10, 2015 

READ: Philippians 1:12-30 

I trust that my life will bring honour to Christ, whether I live or die (v.20).

The 2010 French film Of Gods and Men recounts the inspiring and tragic story of nine Trappist monks who lived in the small Algerian monastery of Tibhirine. For years the various religious communities lived in friendship. As the political climate deteriorated, however, radical elements took advantage and gained power. The Brothers debated whether they should escape Algeria, but eventually they determined that God would not have them abandon their village. Then, after midnight on 27 March 1996, militants overwhelmed the monastery and captured seven of the Brothers, all of whom lost their lives.

These men believed that their call to obey God was more critical than their self-protection. The apostle Paul held this same posture. Imprisoned in Rome and uncertain of his impending verdict, Paul wrote to friends assuring them that his primary hope was to stay faithful to the One who had brought him life, the One to whom he had sworn his allegiance. Paul declared that his deepest commitment was to honour and remain faithful to Christ “whether I live or die” (Philippians 1:20).

Self-preservation is a good, natural instinct. Most of us will do almost anything to avoid suffering. In the kingdom of God, however, there’s an invitation to have a vision larger than suffering. Suffering at times will be necessary in this fallen world. Faithfulness (integrity, obedience and sacrificial love) will at times require us to make hard decisions.

Knowing that God’s vision is so much larger than ours, Paul wrote that we have “the privilege of suffering for him” (v.29). May we seek His strength, help and wisdom in knowing when to lay down our safety for His larger story.

—Winn Collier

365-day-plan: Luke 2:1-20

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Read 1 Peter 3:13-17. What might it mean to “suffer for doing what is right”? What larger vision would carry us through such painful experiences? 
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Where have you been committed to your safety, to not suffer? What vision might draw you out of such a self-protective posture? 

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ODB: The Unlikely

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June 10, 2015 

READ: 1 Corinthians 1:25-31 

God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty. 1 Corinthians 1:27 

Fanny Kemble was a British actress who moved to America in the early 1800s and married a southern plantation owner named Pierce Butler. Fanny enjoyed the life afforded by the wealth of the plantation, until she saw the cost of that luxury—a cost paid by the slaves who worked her husband’s plantations.

Having written a memoir of the cruel treatment slaves often suffered, Kemble was eventually divorced from her husband. Her writings were widely circulated among abolitionists and published in 1863 as Journal of a Residence on a Georgian Plantation in 1838–1839. Because of her opposition to slavery, the former wife of a slave owner became known as “The Unlikely Abolitionist.” 

In the body of Christ, God often wonderfully surprises us. He regularly uses the unlikely—people and circumstances—to accomplish His purposes. Paul wrote, “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen” (1 Cor. 1:27-28).

This reminds us that God, in His grace, can use anyone. If we will allow His work to be done in us, we might be surprised at what He can do through us!

— Bill Crowder

How will you let God use you today?

Share with us at www.odb.org

God desires willing hearts ready to be used. 

ODJ: the comparison game

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June 9, 2015 

READ: 1 Corinthians 4:1-21 

What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift? (v.7).

The Germans have a word for it: schadenfreude. It means to take joy in another’s misery. We can sometimes feel schadenfreude when someone else slips up. A politician we don’t admire stumbles over his words. A famous person who has great wealth suddenly goes bankrupt. Part of us feels sad, but we might also secretly enjoy the turn of events.

We can often be perfectly content with our talents until we encounter someone who has a little bit more. Then we catch the ‘–er’ virus, fixating on the ways the other is better, richer, prettier, smarter—even holier. It’s so easy to compare, even to evaluate, who is more spiritual.

The Corinthians thought they were more spiritual than others because they could speak in the language of angels (1 Corinthians 13:1). They looked down on Paul, whose “plain” speech was too timid and ordinary (2:1-4). But he reminded them that he was every bit as spiritual as they were (14:3-7), and that rather than judge among themselves, each person should focus on being faithful with the gifts God had given them (4:2,6).

This is more easily said than done. It’s only possible because of Jesus. Paul wrote, “In Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority” (Colossians 2:9-10).

You are complete in Jesus! Your value is fixed. You can’t do anything to make it larger. Who you are is who you are in Jesus. Full stop. You can rejoice with those who outshine you, for their excellence doesn’t affect you one bit.

Find your significance—your identity—in Jesus. You’ll lose if you look for it anywhere else. There’s no winner in the comparison game.

—Mike Wittmer

365-day-plan: Matthew 1:1-25

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Read 1 Samuel 18:1-16 to learn how comparison can destroy us. 
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Do you sometimes feel jealous of others? Consider giving a compliment, writing a note or doing something that shows your appreciation for them and their gifts. Why does God want you to be content in who you are? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Deceptive Currents

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June 9, 2015 

READ: Deuteronomy 8:11-20 

When they had pasture, they were filled; they were filled and their heart was exalted. Hosea 13:6 

In his book The Hidden Brain, science writer Shankar Vedantam describes the day he went for a leisurely swim. The water was calm and clear, and he felt strong and proud for covering a long distance so easily. He decided to swim out of the bay and into open water. But when he tried to return he couldn’t make any progress. He had been deceived by the current. The ease of swimming had not been due to his strength but to the movement of the water.

In our relationship with God something similar can happen. “Going with the flow” can lead us to believe we’re stronger than we are. When life is easy, our minds tell us that it’s due to our own strength. We become proud and self-confident. But when trouble hits, we realize how little strength we have and how helpless we are.

This happened with the Israelites. God would bless them with military success, peace, and prosperity. But thinking they had achieved it on their own, they would then become proud and self-sufficient (Deut. 8:11-12). Assuming that they no longer needed God, they would go their own way until an enemy attacked and they would realize how powerless they were without God’s help.

When life is going well we too need to beware of self-deception. Pride will take us where we do not want to go. Only humility will keep us where we ought to be—grateful to God and dependent on His strength.

— Julie Ackerman Link

Lord, we don’t dare trust in our own strength to do our tasks today. You are the Giver of our talents and opportunities. Help us use them not for our own advancement, but to help others.

True humility credits God for every success. 

ODJ: faith to follow

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June 8, 2015 

READ: Genesis 12:1-9 

Leave your native country, your relatives . . . and go to the land that I will show you (v.1).

Students at a university watched as a mother duck waddled over a cement wall and landed one metre below. For her, it was nothing special. But for the yellow-feathered babies following her, it was an inconceivable feat. The ducklings peeped and milled around on the ledge above their mother. Finally one little duck jumped, landed on his side and rolled to his feet. He chose to follow his mother, and his leap led to his siblings doing the same thing. Soon they all bounded from the ledge and trailed behind their mother as they continued their journey.

Abraham exited the land of Haran where he’d been living with his father’s family, for God told him, “Leave your native country, your relatives . . . and go to the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1). As an incentive, God promised that Abraham would be famous—that he would found an important nation and that “all the families on earth [would] be blessed through [him]” (v.3).

To experience these good things, Abraham had to have enough faith to follow God into unknown territory. “He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents” (Hebrews 11:8-9). Faith in God motivated Abraham to move, and it enabled him to exist in an unfamiliar place.

According to Abraham’s example, stepping out in faith is often uncomfortable. It requires us to let go of our own logic at times—to give up the security of knowing what comes next. Yet the Bible tells us, “Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be able to stand firm” (2 Chronicles 20:20). Our faithful God gives us the faith we need to follow Him!

—Jennifer Benson Schuldt

365-day-plan: Luke 1:57-80

MORE
Read James 1:2-4 to see one result of faith in our lives. Refer to 1 Thessalonians 3:7-8 to see how our faith can affect other believers. 
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What’s the difference between having great faith and having faith in the greatness of God? According to Hebrews 11:6, what’s the relationship between having faith and pleasing Him? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)