Entries by YMI

ODJ: the biscuit tin

January 27, 2015 

READ: Ephesians 5:1-14 

Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people (v.3).

A little boy’s mother baked a batch of cookies and placed them in a biscuit tin, instructing her son not to touch them until after dinner. Soon she heard the lid of the tin move, and she called out, “Son, what are you doing?” A meek voice called back, “My hand is in the biscuit tin resisting temptation.” It’s funny to think of a person trying to resist temptation with their ‘hand in the biscuit tin’. This is as much a challenge in our culture today, as it was for the Ephesians.

There were all kinds of open ‘biscuit tins’ in Ephesus. One was sexual immorality. Paul realised that illicit sexual activity was an enormous problem for new Gentile Christians in the early church to overcome. They didn’t have an accepted social standard with regard to sex.

Paul wanted the Ephesians to defy their environment and live out their identity as God’s holy children. So he reminded them that sexual immorality—adultery, premarital sex, pornography, homosexual liaisons, prostitution, sexual abuse and any other sexual perversion—was incongruent with what it meant to be imitators of Jesus (Ephesians 5:3). If they ignored this clear warning, they would miss God’s best and experience His discipline (v.6).

As believers in Jesus, it’s God’s will for us to stand out, or be holy, especially in a culture where sexual immorality is an accepted behaviour. Standing out as light for Christ means appropriating God’s Word (Psalm 119:9), controlling our bodies (1 Thessalonians 4:1-7), intentionally resisting temptation (Proverbs 7:24-25), living in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16) and enjoying sex within its proper limits (1 Corinthians 7:2,9). Let’s keep our hand out of the biscuit tin! —Marvin Williams

365-day plan› Genesis 43:1-34

MORE
Read Genesis 39:1-18 and see how Joseph handled the biscuit tin of sexual temptation. 
NEXT
Why is it such a challenge to resist sexual temptation and immorality in our culture? How can knowing our identity as God’s children help us resist sin? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: The Hand Of God

January 27, 2015 

READ: Psalm 63:1-8 

My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me. —Psalm 63:8 

When NASA began using a new kind of space telescope to capture different spectrums of light, researchers were surprised at one of the photos. It shows what looks like fingers, a thumb, and an open palm showered with spectacular colors of blue, purple, green, and gold. Some have called it “The Hand of God.”

The idea of God reaching out His hand to help us in our time of need is a central theme of Scripture. In Psalm 63 we read: “Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me” (vv.7-8). The psalmist felt God’s divine help like a hand of support. Some Bible teachers believe that King David wrote this psalm in the wilderness of Judah during the terrible time of his son Absalom’s rebellion. Absalom had conspired to dethrone his father, and David fled to the wilderness (2 Sam. 15–16). Even during this difficult time, God was present and David trusted in Him. He said, “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You” (Ps. 63:3).

Life can be painful at times, yet God offers His comforting hand in the midst of it. We are not beyond His reach.

— Dennis Fisher

Beneath His watchful eye
His saints securely dwell;
That hand which bears all nature up
Shall guard His children well. —Doddridge

God bears the world’s weight on His shoulder, yet holds His children in the palm of His hand. 

ODJ: homes and other treasures

January 26, 2015 

READ: Matthew 6:19-21 

Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal (v.19).

Recently I decided to renovate the living room of our old terrace house. I painted the ceiling and replaced the ugly and dated lights. I took down the faded curtains and put up roller blinds. I spent hours on the walls—sanding off flaking paint, filling the many dents and holes, resanding, then applying multiple coats of new paint. A cement slab in the corner was removed and new tiles were laid. The fireplace also needed to be replaced. Finally, I sanded back the skirting boards and repainted them with gloss. It was hard work, but I felt proud of the changes I saw each day.

About halfway through the project, our town was hit by floods. A similar flood in 2007 had put our house one meter underwater. Thanks to provisions made since then, we suffered only an inch of water filling the kitchen, but other houses on our street had their living rooms flooded. It was a stark reminder that all the work we had put into it could be gone so quickly.

Jesus was a carpenter (Mark 6:3). I can imagine Him excelling at His work and feeling a sense of accomplishment at a job done well. I can’t be sure, but I can imagine Him being disheartened if a catastrophe like a flood had ruined His work before it was complete.

Nevertheless, Jesus was clear: as important as material possessions (like homes) can be, they must never be our treasure (Matthew 6:19). Only God is our treasure (v.20). Ultimately, all we own will decay, and much is vulnerable to theft (v.19). Our heart and its desires must be centred on God and His kingdom (vv.21,33). He must be our prime possession.

I take joy in my completed living room, yet it could all be gone tomorrow. But Jesus? I’ll have Him forever! —Sheridan Voysey

365-day plan› Genesis 42:1-38

MORE
Read Luke 12:13-21 for a story Jesus told about recalibrating our approach to homes and other possessions. 
NEXT
Do you cling to your home, savings or possessions? What will you do today to relinquish them into God’s hands? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Strengthen My Hands

January 26, 2015 

READ: Nehemiah 6:1-9,15 

Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands. —Nehemiah 6:9 

Singapore’s first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, is the man credited with making Singapore what it is today. During his leadership, Singapore grew to be rich and prosperous and one of the most developed nations in Asia. Asked if he ever felt like giving up when he faced criticism and challenges during his many years of public service, he replied, “This is a life-long commitment.”

Nehemiah, who led in the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem, refused to give up. He faced insults and intimidation from the enemies all around him as well as injustices from his own people (Neh. 4–5). His enemies even insinuated that he had a personal agenda (6:6-7). He sought help from God while taking every defensive step he could.

Despite the challenges, the wall was completed in 52 days (6:15). But Nehemiah’s work was not complete. He encouraged the Israelites to study the Scriptures, to worship, and to keep God’s law. After completing 12 years as governor (5:14), he returned to make sure his reforms were continuing (13:6). Nehemiah had a life-long commitment to leading the people.

We all face challenges and difficulties in life. But as God helped Nehemiah, He will also strengthen our hands (6:9) for the rest of our lives in whatever tasks He gives to us.

— C. P. Hia

Dear Lord, sometimes it’s easy to get discouraged
when faced with criticism or challenges. Help
me to persevere and grant me the strength to be
faithful to what You have called me to do.

Life’s challenges are designed not to break us but to bend us toward God. 

ODJ: chill or kill?

January 25, 2015 

READ: Psalm 4:1-8 

Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent (v.4).

American President Abraham Lincoln’s secretary of war, Edwin Stanton, was angered by an army officer who accused him of favouritism. Stanton complained to Lincoln, who suggested that Stanton write the officer a letter. Later, Stanton told the President he was ready to send the strongly worded letter. Lincoln said, “You don’t want to send that letter. . . . Put it in the stove. That’s what I do when I have written a letter while I am angry. It’s a good letter, and you had a good time writing it and feel better. Now burn it, and write another.”

David had every right to be angry. Falsely accused and slandered (Psalm 4:2), he could have written a sharp letter counterattacking his accusers. Instead, David brought his emotions and pain to God with a prayer expressing his quiet confidence in Him. Instead of retaliation, he chose silent reflection—redirecting his anger and calmly reflecting on God’s goodness and faithfulness (vv.3-8).

Knowing that God had set him apart for godliness (v.3), David warned of the danger of being angry enough to seek revenge on those who slander us. “Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent” is a radical therapy against impulsive anger (v.4). Angry feelings aren’t necessarily sinful, but letting anger control you invariably leads to grievous sins (Genesis 4:1-8; Ephesians 4:26-27). Elsewhere, David warned, “Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm” (Psalm 37:8).

Is it any wonder, then, that David was able to rejoice and could say, “In peace I will lie down and sleep” (4:7-8). We need to learn to apply David’s radical therapy (v.4), or as my daughter often says to me, “Chill, Dad. Chill.”

—K.T. Sim

365-day plan› Genesis 41:37-57

MORE
Read Genesis 4:1-8 to see how one man’s anger led to the very first murder. 
NEXT
Think of someone who has angered you. Reflect on Psalm 4 and see how it can help you respond to him/her biblically. How does Jesus’ example encourage you in your battle with anger? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Quiet Rest

January 25, 2015 

READ: Mark 6:30-32; 

I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. —Psalm 4:8 

Some years ago my son Brian and I agreed to haul some equipment into an isolated Idaho backcountry ranch for a friend. There are no roads into the area, at least none that my truck could negotiate. So Ralph, the young ranch manager, arranged to meet us at road’s end with a small wagon hitched to a pair of mules.

On the way into the ranch, Ralph and I started chatting and I learned that he lived on the property year-round. “What do you do in the winter?” I asked, knowing that winters in the high country were long and bitter and that the ranch had no electricity or telephone service, only a satellite radio. “How do you endure it?”

“Actually,” he drawled, “I find it right peaceable.”

In the midst of our pressure-filled days, we sometimes crave peace and quiet. There is too much noise in the air; there are too many people around. We want to “come aside . . . and rest a while” (Mark 6:31). Can we find a place to do this?

Yes, there is such a place. When we take a few moments to reflect on God’s love and mercy and cast our burdens on Him, we will find in that quiet God-filled space the peace that the world has taken away.

— David H. Roper

There is a place of quiet rest,
Near to the heart of God,
A place where all is joy and peace,
Near to the heart of God. —McAfee

Spending quiet time with God will bring quiet rest. 

ODJ: the restoration promise

January 24, 2015 

READ: Jeremiah 32:37-44 

I will give them one heart and one purpose: to worship me forever, for their own good and for the good of all their descendants (v.39).

Uncle Mark (not his real name) had his big toe removed because his arteries had become blocked after years of smoking 60 cigarettes a day. My husband and I used the traumatic event to talk to our children about the consequences of destructive habits. We realised just how much Uncle Mark’s story had impacted them when a few days later we heard our son telling another family member to quit smoking or his big toe would need to be cut off!

The nation of Israel was about to suffer the consequence of destructive habits. They had wandered far from God, were unfaithful to His laws and had chosen to worship other gods (Jeremiah 2-3,5,9). They had built altars to Baal and sacrificed their children in the fire as offerings (19:4-5). The prophet Jeremiah warned that Judah would soon face famine, be plundered and the people would be taken captive to a foreign land (10-11). Jeremiah exposed the sins of the people—sins which would ultimately lead to their captivity and destruction by the Babylonian army (1-2, 5:19).

Anyone who’s tried to defy gravity by leaping from too high of a perch has known the painful consequences of trying to break the laws of nature. In the same way, the price we pay for breaking God’s laws is high. Now, God’s kindness can turn us away from our willful disobedience (Romans 2:4), but sometimes it’s the consequences of our sin that finally leads us to right living (Hebrews 12:3-17).

God longs for us to turn away from our stubborn disobedience so we can know Him as our merciful and gracious Father (Jeremiah 24:7). He reinforced His faithful commitment to Judah and promised to restore them to Himself. And, by His grace, He does the same for us today (32:39-40). —Ruth O’Reilly-Smith

365-day plan› Genesis 41:1-36

MORE
Read Ezekiel 36:26-27 and see what it says about the new heart God gave to those who believed in Him. 
NEXT
What has God revealed about your distance from Him? What will you do today to draw closer to Him? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Answer The Cry

January 24, 2015 

READ: Isaiah 30:15-22 

[The Lord] will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry. —Isaiah 30:19 

When my grandchildren were young, my son took them to see the stage production of The Lion King. As the young lion, Simba, stood over his father, King Mufasa, who had been killed by his evil uncle, little Simba, afraid and alone, cried out, “Help, Help, Help!” At that moment, my 3-year-old grandson stood on his chair in the hushed theater and shouted, “Why doesn’t somebody help him?!”

The Old Testament contains many accounts of God’s people crying out for help. Although their trouble was often self-imposed due to their waywardness, God was still eager to come to their aid.

The prophet Isaiah had to deliver a lot of bad news, but in the midst of it he assured the people that “the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. . . . How gracious he will be when you cry for help!” (Isa. 30:18-19 niv). Yet God often looked to His own people to be the answer to that cry for help (see Isa. 58:10).

Today, people all around us are in need of someone to take action to help them. It is a high privilege to become the hands of God as we respond on His behalf to cries for help.

— Joe Stowell

Lord, remind me that You desire to show
compassion to those in need and that You often call
on us to be the instruments of that compassion. Give
me an opportunity today to show Your love to at least one person in need.

Show that God cares by lending a helping hand. 

ODJ: what’s in a name?

January 23, 2015 

READ: 2 Samuel 23:8-39 

The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him (2 Chronicles 16:9).

I enjoy reading lists of names in the Bible. In the past they seemed pointless to me. In fact I would skim over them to get to the ‘meaty’ stuff in the passage. One day, however, I realised that all those names were there for a reason. God had selected individuals and involved them by name in His Word. What an honour when your name was chosen for positive reasons!

David’s “mighty warriors” are listed in 2 Samuel 23. The first few have some description given about their heroic acts, but the bulk of the characters have only their names mentioned (vv.24-39). Even though their deeds aren’t described, we can infer that these men were also worthy of praise and renown. Some names are mentioned in the Bible as a means of presenting how not to behave, or as bywords for evil. But not these men. They were by no means flawless, but God chose them to be found in His Word and to be remembered forever.

Not all of us are going to be mighty warriors in a military sense. Most of us can’t in any way be described as men or women of renown. Thankfully, God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). He’s looking for people who are wholly devoted to Him—individuals who will wholeheartedly serve Him, no matter the cost. “The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:9).

Today, God still remembers those who decide, like David’s mighty men, to go to any length with whatever gifts He’s given them, to do their King’s will, and fulfil His purposes on earth. As I read lists of names in the Bible now, I pray that I’ll also one day have a name that is worthy of remembering—to God’s glory! —Russell Fralick

365-day plan› Genesis 40:1-23

MORE
Scan the names found in Hebrews 11:4-32 and consider why God included them in His Word. 
NEXT
How has God equipped you to serve Him? If you don’t know, spend some time asking Him to show you. If you do know, how will you dedicate yourself to serving Him more fully? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)