Entries by YMI

ODB: Not Even A Nod

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September 2, 2014 

READ: Luke 17:11-19 

One of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God. —Luke 17:15 

Traffic was bad and everyone was cranky on that hot afternoon. I noticed a car with two young men waiting to enter traffic from a fast-food restaurant driveway. I thought it was nice when the driver ahead of me let them in.

But when the “nice” driver ahead of me didn’t get a nod or even a thank you wave, he turned ugly. First he rolled down his window and shouted at the driver he had let in. Then he gunned his engine and raced forward as if to ram into his car, honking and yelling as he continued to vent his anger.

Who was “more wrong”? Did the young driver’s ingratitude justify the “nice” driver’s angry response? Was he owed a thank you?

Certainly the 10 lepers Jesus healed owed gratitude to Him. How could only one return to say thank you? I’m struck by Jesus’ response: “Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:18). If the King of Kings can get only a 1 in 10 response of thanks, how can we expect more from others? Better to do our deeds to honor God and serve others than to do them to collect gratitude. May the grace of God be seen in us even when our kind acts go unappreciated.

— Randy Kilgore

Lord, we like to be recognized for the things we
do. Help us to remember that we are not owed any
recognition or thanks but that we owe You a lifetime
of gratitude for the salvation You offer through Jesus.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may . . . glorify your Father in heaven. —Matthew 5:16 

ODJ: hear the Word

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September 2, 2014 

READ: Colossians 4:2-18 

After you have read this letter, pass it on to the church at Laodicea so they can read it too. And you should read the letter I wrote to them (v.16).

Paul’s closing remarks indicate how his letters were presented. The church gathered to hear the letter read out loud and, when they had heard it, the letter was copied by hand before it was sent on to another city. So the average Christians heard God’s Word with their ears before seeing it with their eyes.
We thank God for the opportunity to read His Word whenever we want. But we must not neglect the unique power that’s present when the church gathers to hear it read aloud. When we hear God’s Word, we realise that:

  • His Word is alive. God’s Word isn’t just letters on a page. It’s “alive and powerful”—making things happen (Hebrews 4:12). God speaks, “Let there be”, and the universe flashes into existence (Genesis 1:3). God says, “Lazarus, come out!” and a dead man stirs to life (John 11:43). God declares, “Look, I am making everything new!” and His words swish around the swill of corruption and spit it out of creation (Revelation 21:5).

    God’s Word performs what it describes. Martin Luther emphasised how important it is to read God’s promise of forgiveness (1 John 1:9), but we’ll truly get it when we hear that promise announced to us: “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11). This power of God’s spoken Word is the reason the sermon is the centrepiece of our worship services.

  • His Word is life. The Word of God that we hear interprets what we see. Our eyes tell us that we are habitual sinners; God’s Word declares we are holy (1 Corinthians 1:2). Our eyes tell us our dead brother or sister is never coming back; God’s Word says their gravesite is resurrection ground (15:50-58).

We trust our ears, not our eyes. Let’s continue to gather with other believers and hear more! —Mike Wittmer

365-day plan› Matthew 21:28-46

MORE
Read Deuteronomy 6:1-25 to learn the importance of hearing the Word of God. 
NEXT
Have you been relying on what you see more than what you hear from God’s Word? What promise or truth does God want you to believe today? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: I Am Not Forgotten

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September 1, 2014 

READ: Psalm 13 

Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. —Psalm 33:20 

Waiting is hard at any time; but when days, weeks, or even months pass and our prayers seem to go unanswered, it’s easy to feel God has forgotten us. Perhaps we can struggle through the day with its distractions, but at night it’s doubly difficult to deal with our anxious thoughts. Worries loom large, and the dark hours seem endless. Utter weariness makes it look impossible to face the new day.

The psalmist grew weary as he waited (Ps. 13:1). He felt abandoned—as if his enemies were gaining the upper hand (v.2). When we’re waiting for God to resolve a difficult situation or to answer often-repeated prayers, it’s easy to get discouraged.

Satan whispers that God has forgotten us, and that things will never change. We may be tempted to give in to despair. Why bother to read the Bible or to pray? Why make the effort to worship with fellow believers in Christ? But we need our spiritual lifelines most when we’re waiting. They help to hold us steady in the flow of God’s love and to become sensitive to His Spirit.

The psalmist had a remedy. He focused on all that he knew of God’s love, reminding himself of past blessings and deliberately praising God, who would not forget him. So can we.

— Marion Stroud

Lover of my soul, who draws close
in the darkest and longest night, please
keep me trusting You, talking to You,
and leaning on Your promises.

God is worth waiting for; His time is always best. 

ODJ: faith at great risk

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September 1, 2014 

READ: Exodus 1:15-22 

But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders (v.17).

A group of friends and I are in the midst of attempting to read through the Bible in 90 days. Since beginning this endeavour, we’ve been surprised at the way God’s Word has become so alive for us.

Approaching the Bible in large sections at a time has proven to be a powerful experience. We’ve found that the contexts have become vivid and the stories fresh—almost as if we’re reading familiar passages for the first time.

When I ventured into Exodus, for example, I found myself mesmerised by the actions and faith of two women I’d taken little notice of previously. Though not royalty, these Hebrew women, Shiphrah and Puah, were used by God for divine purposes.

Shiphrah and Puah were midwives helping to bring Jewish babies into the world during a time when a ruthless Egyptian Pharaoh considered the growing Hebrew population a threat to his power (Exodus 1:15). So he told Shiphrah and Puah, “When you help the Hebrew women as they give birth, watch as they deliver. If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live” (v.16).

“But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too” (v.17).

Shiphrah and Puah had remarkable faith in God and were willing to risk their lives as a result. In response, “God was good to the midwives” and not only spared their lives but used them to help the Israelites multiply in number and power (v.20). And, “because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own” (v.21).

As you spend time in the Word, whether in large or small doses, ask God to help you to walk obediently like Shiphrah, Puah and others we find in the Bible who lived by faith.

—Roxanne Robbins

365-day plan› Mark 11:20-33

MORE
Read Hebrews 11:23-29 and consider the faith and life of a man who was miraculously saved as a baby. 
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How has God blessed you as you’ve placed your trust in Him? How can you use your profession to advance His kingdom? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: The Ultimate Sacrifice

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August 31, 2014 

READ: 1 John 3:16-23 

By this we know love, because [Jesus] laid down His life for us. —1 John 3:16 

When Deng Jinjie saw people struggling in the water of the Sunshui River in the Hunan province of China, he didn’t just walk by. In an act of heroism, he jumped into the water and helped save four members of a family. Unfortunately, the family left the area while he was still in the water. Sadly, Jinjie, exhausted from his rescue efforts, was overwhelmed and swept away by the river current and drowned.

When we were drowning in our sin, Jesus Christ gave His life to come to our aid. We were the ones He came to rescue. He came down from heaven above and pulled us to safety. He did this by taking the punishment for all of our wrongdoing as He died on the cross (1 Peter 2:24) and 3 days later was resurrected. The Bible says, “By this we know love, because [Jesus] laid down His life for us” (1 John 3:16). Jesus’ sacrificial love for us now inspires us to show genuine love “in deed and in truth” (v.18) to others with whom we have relationships.

If we overlook Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice on our behalf, we’ll fail to see and experience His love. Today, consider the connection between His sacrifice and His love for you. He has come for your rescue.

— Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Rescued: By Jesus’ love;
Rescued: For life above;
Rescued: To serve my King;
Rescued: My praise to bring. —Verway

Jesus laid down His life to show His love for us. 

ODJ: great expectations


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August 31, 2014 

READ: 1 Chronicles 11:15-19 

“Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem.” So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water . . . and brought it back to David (vv.17-18).


Most of us have an innate desire to help others.We work overtime to ensure that the company meets an important deadline. The sound engineer makes sure the new church sound system is ready for the Sunday service. A young man loses his job and his father offers to pay his rent. These stories remind us that we occasionally underestimate our influence. In contrast, we can also use our positions or authority to negatively impact those who love and respect us—sometimes even inadvertently.


King David was camped near the cave of Adullam close to a Philistine detachment that was occupying the town of Bethlehem (1 Chronicles 11:15). When three men from the elite group of David’s fighting men arrived, he remarked, “‘Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem.’ So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem and brought it back to David” (vv.17-18).


When David realised that his men’s loyalty had placed them in danger, he refused to drink the water and poured it out before the Lord. “ ‘God forbid that I should drink this!’ he exclaimed. ‘This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me.’ So David did not drink it” (v.19).


Suddenly, David had comprehended the full impact of the words of a well-respected and much-loved king. His seemingly harmless declaration of desiring some water had resulted in three courageous men being placed in grave danger as they risked their lives to fulfil his request.


Whatever our roles, we all hold positions of authority or influence. Let’s seek to use our words with wisdom and be careful of our underlying expectations of others. —Ruth O’Reilly Smith


365-day plan› John 12:37-50

MORE
Read Proverbs 18:21 and note what it says about the power of our words. Read Psalm 141:3 and consider praying its words prior to leading others.
 
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What have people risked for you because they love or respect you? In the roles you serve as a leader, how can you better understand the impact of your underlying expectations? 
 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Step Up!

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August 30, 2014 

READ: 2 Chronicles 15:1-12 

[Asa] took courage, and removed the abominable idols from all the land . . . ; and he restored the altar of the Lord. —2 Chronicles 15:8 

When a woodchuck started eating our garage (well, just the trim), I bought a live trap with plans to transplant the little guy to a park. I baited it with an assortment of goodies and opened the trap door. The next morning, I was excited to see a little critter in my trap—until I noticed that it was no woodchuck. I had snared a skunk.

I went online to see how to untrap the skunk without having it . . . well, you know. The solutions were extremely cautious in their descriptions of how to protect yourself while releasing the animal. Plastic bags. Gloves. Tarps. Blankets. Goggles. The task looked daunting and dangerous.

Then my son-in-law Ewing stepped up. He simply walked over to the trap, opened the door, and coaxed our striped friend on its way with a few sprays from the garden hose.

Sometimes our fears can lead to inaction. We worry so much about protecting ourselves that we fail to simply step up. When King Asa learned that the Lord wanted him to remove the idols from Israel, he “took courage” (2 Chron. 15:8). He could have had a rebellion on his hands for doing this. But he stepped up, and as a result the nation rejoiced (v.15).

Facing a spiritual challenge? The Lord will help you step up with courage and trust Him for the outcome.

— Dave Branon

Let the road be rough and dreary,
And its end far out of sight,
Foot it bravely, strong or weary;
Trust in God and do the right. —Macleod

Courage is fear that has said its prayers. 

ODJ: the seventh commandment


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August 30, 2014 

READ: Matthew 5:27-30 

You must not commit adultery (Exodus 20:14).


“Adultery” is defined as “voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person who is not their spouse” (Oxford English Dictionary). So the seventh commandment applies only to those who commit the act, right? 


Jesus explained that adultery isn’t just the physical act; it’s what begins in the heart (Matthew 5:27-28). It involves not only what we do with our bodies, but also what we look at with our eyes, fantasise about in our minds or lust after in our wills.


D. A. Carson says, “Imagination is a God-given gift; but if it is fed dirt by the eye, it will be dirty. All sin, not least sexual sin, begins with the imagination. Therefore, what feeds the imagination is of maximum importance in the pursuit of kingdom righteousness. Not everyone reacts the same way to all objects. But if (vv.28-29) your eye is causing you to sin, gouge it out; or at very least, don’t look!”


Today, many men and women have fallen prey to the allure of online pornography. Given its promise of anonymity, it presents a nearly irresistible lure to explore sex outside of marriage. 


Morgan Bennett wrote in his article “The New Narcotic”, “Another aspect of pornography addiction that surpasses the addictive and harmful characteristics of chemical substance abuse is its permanence. While substances can be metabolised out of the body, pornographic images cannot be metabolised out of the brain.”


So, how do we keep the seventh commandment? By being careful where our eyes linger and by keeping the greatest commandment: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37-38). —Poh Fang Chia


365-day plan› John 12:20-36

MORE
Read Proverbs 5:1-23 and 6:20-35. Identify the warnings against adultery and how to flee its ensnarement.
 
NEXT
How can you practically love God with all your heart, soul and strength? How does loving God help you steer clear of sexual sin?
 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)