Entries by YMI

ODB: Getting Beyond Ourselves

April 8, 2014 

READ: 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 

We all, . . . beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed. —2 Corinthians 3:18 

I have one of those friends who seems to be better than I am at just about everything. He is smarter; he thinks more deeply; and he knows where to find better books to read. He is even a better golfer. Spending time with him challenges me to become a better, more thoughtful person. His standard of excellence spurs me on to greater things.

That highlights a spiritual principle: It’s crucial for us to spend time in God’s Word so we can connect with the person of Christ. Reading about the impact of Jesus’ unconditional love for us compels me to love without demand. His mercy and His free distribution of grace to the most undeserving make me ashamed of my tendency to withhold forgiveness and seek revenge.

I find myself becoming a more thankful person when I realize that, despite my shameful fallenness, the Lord has clothed me in the beauty of His perfect righteousness. His amazing ways and unsurpassed wisdom motivate and transform me. It’s hard to be content with my life as it is when in His presence I am drawn to become more like Him.

The apostle Paul calls us to the joy of beholding Christ. As we do so, we are “being transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Cor. 3:18).

— Joe Stowell

Lord, help us to come into Your presence with eyes
and hearts wide open to all that You are and want us
to become. Thank You for revealing Yourself to us
and for the joy of basking in the greatness of Your glory.

Stay close to God and you will never be the same. 

ODJ: shattered dreams

April 8, 2014 

READ: Isaiah 52:1-12 

Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song, for the LORD has comforted his people (v.9).

A friend had been working at a job he loved for many years when he was suddenly laid off. He took another position at a new company, but the work was not as fulfilling and didn’t pay well. Then the first employer asked him to return, which he did with joy. Sadly, he and most of the workforce were again laid off just 7 days later. The other company wouldn’t take him back and he’s now working a menial, poorly paid job. His dreams of having a position he needs and loves have been shattered.

Isaiah spoke to the heart of God’s people whose dreams had been shattered after they’d been forced into exile by Babylon. Having already known the bitterness of being oppressed by Egypt in the past and—more recently—by Assyria, they were “enslaved again” (Isaiah 52:4-5). Hopes of living with honour and liberty were buried in the “dust” of their “captivity” (vv.1-2,11).

God gave His people hope through the words of His prophet. Isaiah wrote of “the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!” (v.7). Hope is found in a God who’s in control even when life seems to be out of control. “The LORD will go ahead of you; yes, the God of Israel will protect you from behind” (v.12). Hope is found in a God “who has our back” even when we feel like we’ve been stabbed in the back.

As I talked with my hurting, disillusioned friend, I didn’t focus on his current circumstances, but on what God was doing in and through him. When we feel like we’re in exile caused by a difficult relationship, job or situation, it’s vital that we find our hope in God’s character and His “good work within” us (Philippians 1:6). He can take shattered dreams and create something beautiful. —Tom Felten

2 Samuel 13:20-39 ‹365-day plan

MORE
Read Psalm 98:1-3 and note what it says about God and why we should place our hope in Him. 
NEXT
What are some shattered dreams you need to bring to God? How has God given you hope over the years? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Strawberry Mess

April 7, 2014 

READ: Philippians 4:1-5 

Be of the same mind in the Lord. —Philippians 4:2 

My husband and I had recently moved into our house when a man dropped off a large box of strawberries on our front sidewalk. He left a note saying he wanted us to share them with our neighbors. He meant well, but some children discovered the box before any adults did and had a strawberry-throwing party at our white house. When we returned home, we saw children we knew watching us from behind a fence. They had “returned to the scene of the crime” to see how we would react to the mess. We could have just cleaned it up ourselves, but to restore our relationship, we felt it was important to talk with them and require their help in cleaning our strawberry-stained house.

Life can get messy with relationship struggles. This was the case in the Philippian church. Two faithful servants, Euodia and Syntyche, were in sharp disagreement. The apostle Paul wrote to the church to encourage them to work through their problems (Phil. 4:2). He also wanted another person to come alongside them with a spirit of gentleness. He wrote, “I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel” (v.3).

Realizing we’ve all made messes in life, we can trust the Lord to help us deal gently with others.

— Anne Cetas

Dear Lord, please give me discernment and
courage in my relationships. Help me by Your
power to be gentle and show the same love
to others that You have shown to me.

True love both confronts and restores. 

ODJ: break camp and move on

April 7, 2014 

READ: Deuteronomy 1:1-8  

When we were at Mount Sinai, the LORD our God said to us, “You have stayed at this mountain long enough. It is time to break camp and move on” (vv.6-7).

In his book Seize the Day, Danny Cox, a former jet pilot turned business leader, explained why pilots needed a new ejection system. In the former system, when pilots initiated ejection, all they needed to do was clear the plane and roll forward out of the seat. During testing, however, the pilots wouldn’t let go of the seat during the process. The engineers came up with a solution. Two seconds after ejection commenced, an electronic take-up reel would immediately take up the slack and force the pilot forward out of his seat—freeing the parachute.

Just as pilots need to be forced out of their seats, God had to move Moses and the people of Israel from Mt. Sinai. After almost a year at the mountain (Exodus 19:1; Numbers 10:11-12), it’s likely they had become a bit comfortable there. God commanded Moses to break camp and move on (Deuteronomy 1:7). They would take the shortest and straightest route and the path wasn’t going to be easy.

It was time to enter the land of those who were considered skilled and feared warriors—risking the lives of all as they followed God’s will. Though this would be dangerous, it was all part of God’s perfect plan. It was time For Moses to break camp and move on and lead His people into “the land the LORD swore to give to [his] ancestors Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and to all their descendants” (v.8).

It’s so easy to hold on to our seats and become comfortable where we are. That’s when God has to force us out of them, cause us to break camp and move us to the future He has for us. He calls us to leave the comfortable, be open to change, take steps of faith and trust Him in the face of the unknown. —Marvin Williams

365-day plan› 2 Samuel 13:1-19

MORE
Read Acts 8:1-3 and see how God allowed His people to be moved. 
NEXT
Besides His Word, what else does God use to get us to move from where we are to where He wants us to go? From what comfortable place is God calling you right now?  

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Choose Life

April 6, 2014 

READ: Deuteronomy 30:11-20 

Choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice. —Deuteronomy 30:19-20 

What is God’s will for my life? The question haunted me when I was growing up. What if I couldn’t find it? What if I didn’t recognize it? God’s will seemed like a needle in a haystack. Hidden. Obscured by lookalikes. Outnumbered by counterfeits.

But my view of God’s will was wrong because my view of God was wrong. God takes no pleasure in seeing us lost, wandering, searching. He wants us to know His will. He makes it clear, and He makes it simple. He doesn’t even make it multiple-choice. He gives just two choices: “life and good” or “death and evil” (Deut. 30:15). In case the best choice isn’t obvious, He even says which one to choose: “Choose life” (v.19). To choose life is to choose God Himself and obey His Word.

When Moses addressed the Israelites for the last time, he pleaded with them to make the right choice by observing “all the words of this law. . . . Because it is your life” (32:46-47). God’s will for us is life. His Word is life. And Jesus is the Word. God may not give a prescription for every decision, but He gave us a perfect example to follow—Jesus. The right choice may not be easy, but when the Word is our guide and worship is our goal, God will grant us the wisdom to make life-affirming choices.

— Julie Ackerman Link

Lord Jesus, we know that true wisdom comes
from leaning on You. Help us to trust in
You and to seek Your face and Your will
that we find in Your life-giving Word.

The evidence of God’s guidance can be seen more clearly by looking back than by looking forward. 

ODJ: work and leisure

April 6, 2014 

READ: Exodus 20:8-11 

Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy (v.8).

Sunday’s here. Hurrah! Let’s go to church in the morning and then catch up on all those things that we couldn’t do during the week. Is that how you view the Lord’s Day? Personal confession: that’s often the way I feel after a busy work week. But is that wrong?

Of the Ten Commandments given by God, only the fourth commandment about observing the Sabbath isn’t repeated in the New Testament. Many have concluded that since we’re no longer under the restrictions of the Sabbath, we’re also under no obligation to respect the Lord’s Day. This simply isn’t so. There are timeless principles found in the fourth commandment that are still relevant today.

The commandment tells us that while we should be involved in productive labour, we should also take time to rest (Exodus 20:9-10). The principle is simple: work for 6 days and rest for 1.

A Bible commentator states, “The reason why men do not wish to stop what they are doing is most often that they have not finished. The fourth commandment deals with this problem by instructing the Israelites to plan to be finished by the end of the sixth day and to see to it that they do finish.”

Also, it takes time to be holy. Ancient Israel’s cessation of normal work was to facilitate her worship. We’re not simply to “take a day off”—we’re to “[keep] it holy” (v.8). So what activities are appropriate on the Lord’s Day? Christians will come to differing conclusions about what this means in practice, but our submission to Jesus Christ’s lordship is primary (Romans 14:5-9).

The general principle: the Lord’s Day should be set aside to worship God with His people and to rest your mind and body. —Poh Fang Chia

2 Samuel 12:1-25 ‹365-day plan

MORE
Read Colossians 2:16-17 and note what Paul says about the Sabbath. The ultimate Sabbath rest is when we come to rest in the finished work of Jesus on our behalf.  
NEXT
Are there attitudes or activities that you need to change so that you can better honour God on the Lord’s Day? Why is rest so important? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Not Counting

April 5, 2014 

READ: Matthew 20:1-16 

The last will be first, and the first last. —Matthew 20:16 

The play Amadeus tells of a composer in the 18th century seeking to understand the mind of God. The devout Antonio Salieri has the earnest desire, but not the aptitude, to create immortal music. It infuriates him that God has instead lavished the greatest of musical genius ever known on the impish Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

The play poses the same question as the book of Job, only inverted. The author of Job wonders why God would punish the most righteous man on the face of the earth; the author of Amadeus ponders why God would reward someone so undeserving.

Jesus’ parable of the workers and their grossly unfair paychecks confronts this scandal head-on. Some people who have been idly standing around are hired by a landowner at “the eleventh hour” (Matt. 20:6-7). The other workers, who have been serving him all day long, are shocked when each receives identical pay. What employer in his right mind would pay the same amount for one hour’s work as for 12!

Jesus’ story makes no economic sense, and that was His intent. He was giving us a parable about grace, which cannot be calculated like a day’s wages. God dispenses gifts, not wages.

— Philip Yancey

Lord, I forget sometimes that my efforts cannot earn
Your love or grace or forgiveness.
You have lavished grace on me as a gift
and not a wage. Thank You.

In the realm of grace, the word “deserve” does not apply. 

ODJ: the bottom line

April 5, 2014 

READ: Ecclesiastes 7:1-4 

Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies—so the living should take this to heart (v.2).

While in university, the great missionary Adoniram Judson lost his faith when he fell under the spell of Jacob Eames, a deist who believed that God never interferes in our lives. When he was on a trip, Judson stayed at a village inn next door to a man who was dying. The man’s groans kept Judson awake and he began to think about death. Was he ready to meet God? The next morning Judson learned that the man had died. He asked the innkeeper if he knew who the man was. “Oh yes. Young man from the college in Providence [USA]. Name was Eames . . . Jacob Eames.”

Judson was shaken. He realised that deism had failed Eames, just as it would fail him in his moment of death. The time was up for intellectual games. He needed to live for the One who had beaten death.

No one likes to think about death, but if we don’t talk about it we’ll have nothing to say when we talk about Jesus. Hebrews 2:14-15 explains that Jesus came to defeat death. He became a man so He could “break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.”

If you have never feared dying, there’s little chance you’ve given your life to Jesus. Why would you? You aren’t troubled by the problem that He came to solve. But if you’ve been bothered by the thought of death—realising that it’s the demonic intruder that has come to destroy you—then it’s likely you already know that your hope is found in Jesus alone. No one else even claims to have conquered death on your behalf. “Thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57). —Mike Wittmer

365-day plan› 2 Samuel 11:1-27

MORE
Pray Psalm 23 to the Lord. What truth from this psalm will you lean on today?  
NEXT
List the enemies that Jesus has defeated for you. How might these victories encourage you in the problems you still face?  

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Check The Oil

April 4, 2014 

READ: Psalm 5 

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up. —Psalm 5:3 

When I helped our daughters learn to drive, I included a little instruction on basic auto maintenance. We visited a local service station where they learned to check the oil every time they put fuel in the car. Today, years later, they often remind me of my six-word slogan, “Oil is cheap; engines are expensive.” Adding a quart of oil is nothing compared to replacing an engine.

Maintenance is also important in our spiritual lives. Taking time each day to read the Bible, pray, and listen to God is a key element in avoiding a breakdown. In Psalm 5, David wrote, “My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You” (v.3). In the following verses he poured out his heart in praise, thanksgiving, and requests to God.

Many people find it essential to begin every day with the Lord. Before checking email, catching the news, or eating breakfast, they find some quiet moments alone to read a portion of God’s Word, praise Him for His greatness, thank Him for His love, and seek His guidance. Others spend time reading and praying at different times of the day.

It’s not magic—it’s maintenance, as we ask the Lord each day to fill our hearts with His presence on the road of life.

— David C. McCasland

Give me a strong desire, O Lord, to look into Your
Word each day. Help me hide it in my heart so that
I might not stray from Your truth. Feed me and
teach me about Yourself and Your will for me.

The roots of stability come from being grounded in God’s Word and prayer.