Entries by YMI

ODB: Better Or Worse?

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January 1, 2015 

READ: 2 Timothy 3:1-5,10-17 

You must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of. —2 Timothy 3:14 

At the beginning of each new year, experts give their predictions about the economy, politics, weather, and a host of other topics. Will there be war or peace? Poverty or prosperity? Progress or stagnation? People everywhere are hoping that this year will be better than last, but no one knows what will happen.

There is, however, something we can be certain about. A guest speaker at my church suggested that when we ask if the world will get better or worse, the answer is “Yes, to both!”

Paul told Timothy, “In the last days perilous times will come; . . . evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them” (2 Tim. 3:1,13-14).

The inspired Word of God instructs, corrects, and encourages us as we follow God’s path (vv.16-17). J. B. Phillips described the Scriptures as our “comprehensive equipment” that prepares us fully for all branches of God’s work.

As the spiritual darkness of our world grows deeper, the light of Christ shines more brightly through all those who know and love Him. Jesus is our joy and hope—today, tomorrow, and forever!

— David C. McCasland

Heavenly Father, the trouble in this world can
divert our eyes from You. Thank You for Your Word
that helps us stay focused. May we find our delight
in Your love and share it with others today.

The powers of evil around you are no match for the power of Jesus within you. 

ODJ: radical recovery

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December 31, 2014 

READ: Acts 4:13-20 

We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard (v.20).

Attempting a quadruple toe loop, Olympic skater Jeremy Abbott swiveled into the air and fell. He careened into the rink’s wall and lay clutching his side. Amazingly, Jeremy then stood up and resumed skating. The rest of his routine included two extremely difficult, yet well-executed maneuvers. In the end, his perseverance after a serious mistake won the crowd’s heart.

Peter’s biggest error was predicted by Jesus when He said, “You will deny three times that you even know me” (Luke 22:34). The next day Jesus was captured and taken to the high priest’s home. Peter followed from a distance; but when a female servant identified him as a friend of the Saviour, he rejected her claim. Twice more Peter shirked any connection with Him. Finally, he recalled Jesus’ prophecy and wept.

When Jesus predicted Peter’s denial, He also predicted that the disciple would repent and turn back to Him (v.32). Peter had a radical recovery from his spiritual mistake. After Christ rose from the dead, Peter zealously spread the good news. When the religious leaders recognised Peter and John as Christ’s disciples, they told the duo to keep quiet. This time, however, the disciple didn’t shy away from his loyalty to Jesus. He said, “We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).

After being flogged (5:40), Peter and the apostles entered the temple and went door-to-door preaching “Jesus is the Messiah” (v.42). He also eventually wrote two letters to encourage Roman believers to live for God and “worship Christ as Lord of [their] life” (1 Peter 3:15).

Peter’s life proves that you can revive a radical relationship with Jesus even after making serious mistakes (Acts 4:13). —Jennifer Benson Schuldt

365-day plan› Revelation 22:1-21

MORE
Read Psalm 51:17 to see how God receives those who repent of sin. Read Titus 1:16 to see the relationship between denying Christ and how a person lives. 
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How would you respond if someone told you to “keep quiet” about Jesus? Do you think Peter’s spiritual life was better or worse after repenting of his denial? Why? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Standing On The Edge

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December 31, 2014 

READ: Joshua 3:9-17 

[The Israelites] set out . . . to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before [them]. —Joshua 3:14 

My little girl stood apprehensively at the pool’s edge. As a nonswimmer, she was just learning to become comfortable in the water. Her instructor waited in the pool with outstretched arms. As my daughter hesitated, I saw the questions in her eyes: Will you catch me? What will happen if my head goes under?

The Israelites may have wondered what would happen when they crossed the Jordan River. Could they trust God to make dry ground appear in the riverbed? Was God guiding their new leader, Joshua, as He had led Moses? Would God help His people defeat the threatening Canaanites who lived just across the river?

To learn the answers to these questions, the Israelites had to engage in a test of faith—they had to act. So they “set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before [them]” (v.14). Exercising their faith allowed them to see that God was with them. He was still directing Joshua, and He would help them settle in Canaan (vv.7,10,17).

If you are facing a test of faith, you too can move forward based on God’s character and His unfailing promises. Relying on Him will help you move from where you are to where He wants you to be.

— Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Lord, we’re prone to quickly forget Your goodness
and care for us. May we trust You today and
into the new year—whatever uncertainties we
face. You are the God who can be trusted.

Fear fades when we trust our Father. 

ODJ: the best will come

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December 30, 2014 

READ: Psalm 24:1-10 

Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter (v.7).

This week I bought a lot of toilet paper in order to qualify for a partial refund. The refund form told me to address my envelope to “Road to Glory”. Really? I hadn’t slain a dragon or won a championship. I had merely purchased TP. So I laughed at the ridiculous title as I wrote it on the envelope.

The world often exaggerates its achievements, and so do we. We use social media to post about our “amazing” weekend with our “awesome” kids, when all we did was pack a lunch and go to the beach. If we use our biggest superlatives on picnics, we’ll have nothing left to describe what’s truly spectacular.

It’s also important to remember our temptation towards inflation when speaking of the kingdom of God. Jesus said His kingdom is both already here—for “the Kingdom of God has arrived among you” (Matthew 12:28)—and also not yet. For He taught us to pray, “Father . . . may your Kingdom come soon” (Luke 11:2). We should celebrate the kingdom now, but not in a way that detracts from what’s yet to come.

It’s good for churches to plant community gardens, fight injustice and help those in need, but we shouldn’t leave the impression that these efforts are the consummation of the kingdom. If we oversell what we’ve done, we’ll leave people feeling depressed. Is this all the kingdom amounts to? Is this as good as it gets?

Psalm 24 expresses our tension. Enjoy life now, as much as you can, for “the earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him” (v.1). But never stop longing for the return of the King. Our world will be infinitely better when He returns, so “open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter” (v.9). —Mike Wittmer

365-day plan› Revelation 21:1-27

MORE
Read Isaiah 60 to learn what life will be like when Jesus returns. 
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Where do you experience the kingdom of God today? How does this make you even more excited to anticipate the return of Jesus? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: He Leads Me

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December 30, 2014 

READ: Psalm 23 

He leads me beside the still waters. —Psalm 23:2 

In Istanbul, Turkey, in 2005, one sheep jumped off a cliff and then nearly 1,500 others followed! In the end, about one-third of them died. Not knowing which way to go, sheep mindlessly follow other members of the flock.

No better word picture than sheep can be found to illustrate our need for a trustworthy leader. We are all, Isaiah wrote, like sheep (Isa. 53:6). We tend to go our own way, yet we desperately need the sure direction of a shepherd.

Psalm 23 describes the trustworthiness of our Good Shepherd. He cares for us (v.1); He provides for our physical needs (v.2); He shows us how to live holy lives (v.3); He restores us, comforts us, heals us, and bountifully blesses us (vv.3-5); and He will not abandon us (v.6).

What a comfort to know that God gently but firmly leads us! He does so through the urging of the Holy Spirit, the reading of His Word, and through prayer. God is the reliable leader we need.

In acknowledgment of our dependence on the Lord, we can say with the psalmist, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.”

— David C. Egner

Like sheep that sometimes wander from the flock
In tangled paths of life to lose their way,
I need my Shepherd’s hand and watchful eye
To keep me always, lest I go astray. —Sanders

The Lamb who died to save us is the Shepherd who lives to guide us. 

ODJ: balancing seasons

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December 29, 2014 

READ: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time (v.11).

As we pause and reflect on another 12 months gone by, we’re often quick to aim for greater balance in all areas during the new year. Author and pastor Andy Stanley suggests that we aim to find a rhythm in the changing seasons of life. Instead of trying to carve out equal amounts of time for each activity in order to attain and maintain a balanced lifestyle, there are seasons which require us to work longer or shorter hours, spend less or exercise more, cut out or add certain foods to our diet, and so on.

King Solomon looked back at his life of excess and was disappointed by how meaningless all of it was. “‘Everything is meaningless,’ says the Teacher, ‘completely meaningless!’” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). He acknowledged, however, that God does ultimately bring beauty out of the rhythm of the changing seasons of life (3:11), writing: “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven” (3:1).

Contentment comes when we ease into a new rhythm in the midst of change. For instance, the birth of a child or the death of a loved one; the start of something new and the time it takes to grow and bear fruit (v.2); the moment we decide to put to death the one thing that’s been sapping our strength, and the day we choose to say we’re sorry and work towards healing (v.3); the times that we tear down or build up, cry or laugh, grieve or dance, scatter or gather, embrace or turn away, search or quit searching, keep or throw away, tear or mend, be quiet or speak up, love or hate, make war or bring peace (vv.4-8).

In all things, at all times, finding a rhythm based in God’s leading is surely far more satisfying than striving for the perfect balance. —Ruth O’Reilly-Smith

365-day plan› Revelation 1:1-20

MORE
Read Philippians 4:11-12 and see what Paul says about finding a rhythm of contentment in any situation. 
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What does your current season of life look like? How can God help you find a rhythm that honours and glorifies Him? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Delay May Not Mean Denial

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December 29, 2014 

READ: John 11:21-35 

When [Jesus] heard that [Lazarus] was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. —John 11:6 

My sons’ birthdays are in December. When they were small, Angus quickly learned that if he didn’t receive a longed-for toy for his birthday at the beginning of the month, it might be in his Christmas stocking. And if David didn’t receive his gift for Christmas, it might appear for his birthday 4 days later. Delay didn’t necessarily mean denial.

It was natural for Martha and Mary to send for Jesus when Lazarus became seriously ill (John 11:1-3). Perhaps they looked anxiously along the road for signs of His arrival, but Jesus didn’t come. The funeral service had been over for 4 days when Jesus finally walked into town (v.17).

Martha was blunt. “If You had been here,” she said, “my brother would not have died” (v.21). Then her faith flickered into certainty, “Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You” (v.22). I wonder what she expected. Lazarus was dead, and she was wary about opening the tomb. And yet at a word from Jesus, Lazarus’ spirit returned to his decaying body (vv.41-44). Jesus had bypassed simply healing His sick friend, in order to perform the far greater miracle of bringing him back to life.

Waiting for God’s timing may also give us a greater miracle than we had hoped for.

— Marion Stroud

My Savior hears me when I pray,
Upon His Word I calmly rest;
In His own time, in His own way,
I know He’ll give me what is best. —Hewitt

Time spent waiting on God is never wasted.