Entries by YMI

ODJ: enough to share

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May 3, 2014 

READ: Deuteronomy 15:4-11 

Give generously to the poor, not grudgingly, for the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do (v.10).

There was a time when my son Wasswa and I had 12 little guests at our dinner table in Uganda every night for 3 consecutive years. Previous to our sharing dinner with them, the children had often gone entire days without food. They began coming to our house when they heard that I would feed them. Many of the boys and girls—some as young as 3 years old—walked nearly 5 miles to reach our home, so I gave them a ride home each evening.

Our meals were filled with laughter as the boys and girls tried spaghetti and other foods for the first time. My heart overflowed with joy and I felt blessed as I watched the children who had been gaunt with hunger and depleted of strength gain energy and begin to run and play with other boys and girls their age. Wasswa and I discovered the more we generously shared, the more God provided for us to give away (Deuteronomy 15:8,10).

We often neglect helping others because we think we don’t have enough to give. Consider what happened when the disciples faced the prospect of feeding a huge crowd: “The disciples came to [Jesus] and said, ‘This is a remote place and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.’ But Jesus said, ‘That isn’t necessary—you feed them.’ ‘But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!’ they answered” (Matthew 14:15-17).

Despite their doubts, Jesus provided enough food to feed the entire crowd and then some. He multiplied the provisions to meet the need.

Jesus calls for us to join Him in satisfying the hunger of His treasured ones (Psalm 17:14). Today, ask Him to open your eyes to the need of those around you (Deuteronomy 15:11; Proverbs 28:27). —Roxanne Robbins

365-day plan› Esther 2:1-23

MORE
Read and apply Proverbs 22:9 to your life and service to others for Jesus. 
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Why haven’t you been able to generously help the poor and needy you’ve encountered? How can you share more readily out of what God has given you? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Tree Of Rest

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May 2, 2014 

READ: Ezra 9:5-9 

There is a remnant according to the election of grace. —Romans 11:5 

The lone tree in the field across from my office remained a mystery. Acres of trees had been cut down so the farmer could grow corn. But one tree remained standing, its branches reaching up and spreading out. The mystery was solved when I learned the tree was spared for a purpose. Farmers long ago traditionally left one tree standing so that they and their animals would have a cool place to rest when the hot summer sun was beating down.

At times we find that we alone have survived something, and we don’t know why. Soldiers coming home from combat and patients who’ve survived a life-threatening illness struggle to know why they survived when others did not.

The Old Testament speaks of a remnant of Israelites whom God spared when the nation was sent into exile. The remnant preserved God’s law and later rebuilt the temple (Ezra 9:9). The apostle Paul referred to himself as part of the remnant of God (Rom. 11:1,5). He was spared to become God’s messenger to Gentiles (v.13).

If we stand where others have fallen, it’s to raise our hands to heaven in praise and to spread our arms as shade for the weary. The Lord enables us to be a tree of rest for others.

— Julie Ackerman Link

Thank You, Father, that You are my place of rest.
And that all You have brought me through
can be used by You to encourage others.
Bring praise to Yourself through me.

Hope can be ignited by a spark of encouragement. 

ODJ: Lord of the storms

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May 2, 2014 

READ: Mark 4:35-41 

When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped and there was a great calm (v.39).

When Hurricane Katrina hit the American coast, Reverend Jones—a retired pastor—and his wife left their home and went to a shelter. The pastor’s daughter pleaded with him to come to stay with her, but the couple didn’t have any money to make the trip because the banks were closed.

After the storm passed they returned to their home to get a few belongings, but were able to salvage only a few family photos that were floating in the water. As he took his father’s photo out of its frame so it could dry, a wad of notes that his dad had hidden away decades before fell out. It was just enough for them to make the trip to stay with their daughter. Reverend Jones learned anew that he could always rely on Jesus in the midst of life’s storms.

One evening Jesus instructed His disciples to cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:35). A sudden and violent storm arose, a common occurrence at that time (v.37). Though the disciples had been aware that violent storms could flare up, they dripped as much with fear as with water from the powerful wind, rain and waves. They woke Jesus from His sleep, accusing Him of being an uncaring and aloof Rabbi (v.38). Jesus stood up and spoke with heaven’s authority: “Silence! Be still!” (v.39). With those three words He muzzled the squall of the storm and the shrieks of His disciples. He proved that He was the Lord of storms. The disciples learned to have more faith (vv.40-41).

Every believer in Jesus will experience spontaneous and violent storms—persecution, financial reversal, illness, disappointment and loneliness. But we don’t have to be afraid as those waves rock us, for Jesus is Lord of our storms. Let’s place our trust in the One who provides peace in the midst of them. —Marvin Williams

Esther 1:1-22 ‹365-day plan

MORE
Read Psalm 93:4 and consider what it reveals about God and His power over the storms of life. 
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What storms are causing you to experience fear and anxiety? What truths about Jesus do you need to remember so that you can trust Him more fully?  

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: “If You Are Willing”

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May 1, 2014 

READ: Matthew 8:1-4 

Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean. —Matthew 8:2 

Molly wanted her dad’s help, but she was afraid to ask. She knew that when he was working on his computer, he didn’t want to be interrupted. He might get upset at me, she thought, so she didn’t ask him.

We need not have such fears when we come to Jesus. In Matthew 8:1-4, we read about a leper who didn’t hesitate to interrupt Jesus with his needs. His disease made him desperate—he had been ostracized from society and was in emotional distress. Jesus was busy with “great multitudes,” but the leper made his way through the crowd to talk with Jesus.

Matthew’s gospel says that the leper came and “worshiped Him” (v.2). He approached Jesus in worship, with trust in His power, and with humility, acknowledging that the choice to help belonged to Jesus. He said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean” (v.2). In compassion, Jesus touched him (leprosy had made him “untouchable” by the standards of Jewish law), and he was cleansed immediately.

Like the leper, we don’t need to hesitate to approach Jesus with our desire for His help. As we go to Him in humility and worship, we can trust that He will make the best choices for us.

— Anne Cetas

What an example this leper is to me, Lord. Give me
a heart of worship, of confidence in Your power, and
of trust that when I bring my needs to You, You’ll
make the best choice. May I surrender to Your will.

Let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy. —Hebrews 4:16 

ODJ: encouraged

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May 1, 2014 

READ: Acts 4:32-36 

The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and God’s great blessing was upon them all (v.33).

When I was young one of my favourite days was 1 May. Known as May Day, it gave me a chance to hope for a kiss on the cheek from my latest crush. Making small baskets filled with candy, my friends and I would leave the gifts of affection on the doorsteps of those we knew, ring the doorbell and run. If we left a basket for someone we liked, we ran slowly because getting caught meant getting kissed. This is the traditional way children celebrate May Day in my home country, America. Gone are those days of innocence.

Social strife. Financial collapse. Political injustice. When checking the news we find reasons for discouragement. Though there’s no new evil under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9), human beings continue to face trying times just as Jesus foretold (Matthew 24:6-10).

The early church, however, stands as an example of how the power of Jesus becomes real even in times of challenge and despair. Because the believers in that age were convinced of the resurrection of Jesus, His Word became alive in their hearts and they quickly became agents of change. They preached, prayed and gave (Acts 4:24,29-37). In short, they were ambassadors of Jesus and His good news as they spoke new life to the people they encountered (6:10).

Today, we can come alongside others to offer them a message of hope beyond man’s ability (Isaiah 35:1-5). Just as He did in the early church, the Holy Spirit works through us to reveal the heart of God to others. More than positive claims or random acts of kindness, being an encourager presents the opportunity for us to change the world around us for Christ.

We share word and deeds of hope because Jesus showed us how (John 3:16; 1 John 4:19-21). No matter what we find in the news, Jesus’ good news extends true encouragement to all people. —Regina Franklin

365-day plan› Nehemiah 8:1-18

MORE
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:10-18 and consider why God’s message of encouragement must be present in individual members of His church for it to minister well to all people. 
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How have you been (or not been) a source of encouragement to others? In what tangible ways can you be an encouragement to someone this week? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Too Late

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April 30, 2014 

READ: Hebrews 4:1-11 

Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. —Hebrews 4:1 

It happens nearly every semester. I tell my freshman college writing class often that they need to keep up with the numerous writing assignments in order to pass the class. But nearly every semester some don’t believe me. They’re the ones who send me frantic emails after the last day of class and give me their reasons for not taking care of business. I hate to do it, but I have to tell them, “I’m sorry. It’s too late. You have failed the class.”

That’s bad enough when you’re a college freshman and you realize you’ve just wasted a couple thousand dollars. But there is a far more serious, more permanent finality that comes at the end of life if people haven’t taken care of business with God about their sin. In those cases, if people die without having put their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, they face an eternity without Him.

What a terrible moment it would be to stand before the Savior Himself and hear Him say, “I never knew you; depart from Me!” (Matt. 7:23). The author of Hebrews warns us to make sure we don’t “come short” (4:1) of the eternal rest offered by God. The good news is that it’s not too late. Today Jesus freely offers to us salvation and forgiveness through Him.

— Dave Branon

If you’d like to know the love of God the Father,
Come to Him through Jesus Christ, His loving Son;
He’ll forgive your sins and save your soul forever,
And you’ll love forevermore this faithful One. —Felten

Calvary reveals the seriousness of our sin and the vastness of God’s love. 

ODJ: the right time

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April 30, 2014 

READ: Song of Solomon 8:1-14 

Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, not to awaken love until the time is right (v.4).

I recently officiated the marriage of a young couple. After the ceremony, the bridal party headed out for some photos prior to the reception. My wife and I were invited to the bride’s home for some fellowship and snacks on the family’s garden patio. Suddenly, the mother of the bride emerged from the house with tears in her eyes. She held up her daughter’s purity ring and with a choked up voice and tender smile, uttered, “She left this on the kitchen counter.” The decision of the young woman to wear a purity ring had been an outward sign that she had vowed to remain sexually pure until marriage. Now, the ring was no longer needed.

In the poetry of the Song of Solomon, we find the godly virtue of maintaining one’s virginity prior to marriage. In the final chapter, the “young woman” declared her longing for her husband’s embrace (vv.1-3) and then turned to her friends and said, “Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, not to awaken love until the time is right” (v.4). This was the third time she presented this purity principle (2:7, 3:5). But she wasn’t done, for in 8:8-9 she described the need for a young girl’s virginity to be defended, stating, “If she is a virgin . . . we will protect her” (v.9).

The Song of Solomon is not at all prudish. In fact it clearly celebrates the joy and ecstasies of sexual intimacy. But the joy of sex is seen in the context of a man and his bride who are deeply in love (4:9, 8:6,13-14).

The apostle Paul later gave us inspired instruction from God regarding staying pure before marriage. He wrote, “God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin” and “live in holiness and honour—not in lustful passion” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5).

Yes, there’s a right time to say “I do” to sexual intimacy. It’s after saying “I do” at the altar. —Tom Felten
Nehemiah 5:1-19 ‹365-day plan

MORE
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:8 and see how God views sex before marriage. Read Ephesians 5:3-9 to see additional sexual-purity instruction from Paul. 
NEXT
Why does God want you to stay sexually pure before marriage? What are some ways you can strengthen your resolve not to commit sexual sin? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Christ In The Storm

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April 29, 2014 

READ: Mark 4:33-41 

Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith? —Mark 4:40 

At the age of 27, Rembrandt painted the seascape Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee based on the story in Mark 4. With its distinctive contrast of light and shadow, Rembrandt’s painting shows a small boat threatened with destruction in a furious storm. As the disciples struggle against the wind and waves, Jesus is undisturbed. The most unusual aspect, however, is the presence in the boat of a 13th disciple whom art experts say resembles Rembrandt himself.

Mark’s gospel describes the disciples’ vivid lesson about who Jesus is and what He can do. While they were frantically trying to save a sinking boat, Jesus was asleep. Didn’t He care that they were all about to die? (v.38). After Jesus calmed the storm (v.39), He asked the penetrating question, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (v.40). Then they were even more afraid, exclaiming to each other, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!” (v.41).

We could also put ourselves in this story and discover, just as Jesus’ disciples did, that to each person who trusts in Jesus Christ, He reveals His presence, compassion, and control in every storm of life.

— David C. McCasland

Be still, my heart; for faithful is thy Lord,
And pure and true and tried His holy Word;
Though stormy flood which rageth as the sea,
His promises thy stepping-stones shall be. —Anon.

God is a safe dwelling place in life’s storms.