Entries by YMI

ODB: All Kinds Of Help

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April 17, 2014 

READ: Genesis 41:46-57 

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.” —Genesis 41:39 

In the wake of the shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, many people have felt strongly compelled to help. Some donated blood for the injured, some provided free lunches and coffee at their restaurants for workers. Others wrote letters of comfort or just gave hugs. Some sent gifts of money and teddy bears for the children; others offered counseling. People found ways to serve according to their personalities, abilities, and resources.

A story in the Bible about Joseph tells how he used his skills to play an important role in helping people survive a 7-year famine (Gen. 41:53-54). In his case, he could prepare beforehand because he knew a difficult time was coming. After Joseph warned Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, that the lean years were coming, Pharaoh put him in charge of the 7-year preparation time. Joseph used wisdom and discernment from God to get his country ready (41:39). Then, when “the famine was over all the face of the earth, . . . Joseph opened all the storehouses” (v.56). He was even able to help his own family (45:16-18).

These stories show the heart of God for the world. He has prepared us and made us who we are that we might care for others in whatever way He leads us.

— Anne Cetas

Lord, help me feel the hurt that others feel
When life inflicts some bitter pain,
And use me in some loving way to heal
The wounds that may through life remain. —D. DeHaan

Compassion offers whatever is necessary to heal. 

ODJ: smartly, not seductively

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April 17, 2014 

READ: 1 Timothy 2:9-10 

I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves (v.9).

I had an interesting conversation with a friend recently. “Much preaching about women dressing modestly has been destructive,” she said, “because it subtly places the blame for men’s lust on women. Men should take responsibility for their lust and women should be free to wear what they want.” My friend’s words got me thinking.

There is some validity to my friend’s critique. A woman shouldn’t be blamed for a man’s lust, no matter what she wears. Jesus said that the person (male or female) who lusts should deal with their sin; He didn’t say that the person who draws the attention should behave differently (Matthew 5:28-30). David was responsible for his adultery, not Bathsheba for bathing on the roof (2 Samuel 11:1-12:13). In some tribal cultures women wear little clothing and bathing suits reveal much of the body at the beach. If a man can control himself in such settings, why should a woman be held responsible if her attire attracts a man’s lustful gaze in the office? When we tell a woman to cover herself so she doesn’t entice a man, we can subtly send the message that she is responsible for his sin. She isn’t.

There is another factor at play here, however. For the Christian, love is our ultimate value, not personal freedom (Matthew 22:39; 1 Corinthians 8:9-13, 10:23-33). Our calling is to help each other grow in Christ-likeness (Hebrews 10:24). So, if we use our freedom to do—or wear—anything that causes someone else to stumble in their spiritual growth, we haven’t acted in love. In that case, none of us (men included) is free to dress as we want, but in a manner that takes others’ holiness into account.

So, dress smartly, creatively, beautifully! But don’t dress seductively. In the apostle Paul’s day, braided hair could be construed as seductive. What equivalent fashions can we avoid today? —Sheridan Voysey
365-day plan› 1 Kings 12:1-24

MORE
Read 1 Corinthians 8:9-13, 10:23-33 and consider what it says about personal freedom and the spiritual needs of others. 
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How can we avoid the opposite error of becoming legalistic about matters of dress? What are the benefits of dressing modestly? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Joining The Family

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April 16, 2014 

READ: Galatians 3:26–4:7 

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. —Galatians 3:26 

Maurice Griffin was adopted when he was 32 years old. He had lived with Lisa and Charles Godbold 20 years earlier as a foster child. Although Maurice was now a man living on his own, adoption had been what the family and he had always longed for. Once they were reunited and the adoption was official, Maurice commented, “This is probably the happiest moment in my life. . . . I’m happy to be home.”

Those of us who have joined the family of God may refer to that time as the happiest moment in our lives. When we trust Christ for salvation, we become God’s children, and He becomes our heavenly Father. The Bible assures us, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:26).

As God’s adopted children, we acquire spiritual siblings—our brothers and sisters in Christ—and we all share an eternal inheritance (Col. 1:12). In addition, Jesus’ Spirit indwells our hearts and enables us to pray using the name Abba, Father (Gal. 4:6)—like a child calling, “Daddy.”

To be a child of God is to experience the closeness and security of a Father who loves us, accepts us, and wants to know us. Our adoption into His family is a wonderful homecoming.

— Jennifer Benson Schuldt

I once was an outcast stranger on earth,
A sinner by choice, and an alien by birth;
But I’ve been adopted, my name’s written down,
An heir to the mansion, a robe, and a crown. —Buell

God’s arms are always open to welcome anyone home. 

ODJ: at work

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April 16, 2014 

READ: Genesis 37:5-11, 42:1-6 

Since Joseph was governor of all Egypt and in charge of selling grain to all the people, it was to him that his brothers came. When they arrived, they bowed before him with their faces to the ground (42:6).

A group of us were sharing dinner and then we gave testimonies about a God who loves His people enough to speak His dreams into their hearts. We heard of an apartment complex for single mothers. A wedding barn and a Christian campground. A new local church being established. Common to all was the desire that God’s name would be made great through each respective leap of faith.

Uncertain about believing in a God who can’t be seen with physical eyes, listening to a voice we can’t record and following a hand we cannot tangibly touch, we can make faith nothing more than a collection of dry terms as we hunker down in a predictable life. More than something we know or talk about, however, faith must be lived out.

Consider the hall of faith in Hebrews 11. They built, conceived, offered, promised, blessed, spoke, refused, chose, left, went, overthrew, ruled, received, shut, quenched, escaped, suffered and died. Refusing safety, those who truly believed in God moved in incredible ways—following God to points beyond whatever felt safe and comfortable.

Stepping out into the unknown isn’t easy. Some days it’s downright frightening. Scripture doesn’t give us an exact reason for Joseph’s forthrightness in sharing the dream God had given him. It only details the outcome: rejection, isolation and injustice. But for Joseph—and for us—the cost of faith pales in comparison to the fulfilment of God’s promise (Genesis 46:5-7; Joshua 24:32; Psalm 105:19).

Believing what God has spoken doesn’t guarantee an easy journey, but it does give us a front-row seat to watch Him at work. For “God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished” (Philippians 1:6). —Regina Franklin

1 Kings 10:1-13 ‹365-day plan

MORE
Read Proverbs 13:1-12. Everyone desires to see dreams fulfilled. What connection might there be between the instruction in verses 1-11 and the truth found in verse 12? 
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When have you felt that God didn’t come through for you in fulfilling one of your dreams? How might God have been at work even in this seeming failure?  

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Spoonful Of Sugar

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April 15, 2014 

READ: Psalm 19:7-14 

The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. . . . Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. —Psalm 19:9-10 

Where is Mary Poppins when you need her? I know this sounds as if I’m longing for the good old days when cheerfully unrealistic movies featured characters like this fictional nanny, but what I’m really longing for are people with a vision for the future that is realistically optimistic. I yearn for joyful, creative people who can show us the positive side of what we consider negative, who can remind us that “just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down.”

David wrote a song that expressed a similar truth. In his words, “the judgments of the Lord” are “sweeter also than . . . honey” (Ps. 19:9-10). Seldom do we hear that truth is sweet. More often we hear that it is bitter or hard to swallow. But truth is so much more than medicine to treat what’s wrong. It’s the diet that will prevent disease. It’s not an inoculation or an injection. It’s a gourmet meal that should be presented as a culinary delight, enticing the hungry to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (34:8).

We sing “Jesus is the sweetest name I know,” but some of us present Him as if He’s gone sour. Pure truth, untainted by pride, is the sweetest, most refreshing taste of all to those who hunger for spiritual sustenance. And we have the privilege of serving it to a starving world.

— Julie Ackerman Link

Jesus is the sweetest name I know,
And He’s just the same as His lovely name,
And that’s the reason why I love Him so;
Oh, Jesus is the sweetest name I know. —Long

The truth of the Lord endures forever. —Psalm 117:2 

ODJ: in the light of God

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April 15, 2014 

READ: 2 Kings 4:1-7 

The widow . . . cried out, “My husband who served you is dead and you know how he feared the LORD. But now a creditor has come, threatening to take my two sons as slaves” (v.1).

Pastor G. Campbell Morgan was quoted as saying: “What we do in the crisis always depends on whether we see the difficulties in the light of God, or God in the shadow of the difficulties.” When people face any kind of crisis, they tend to look through the lens of fear and anxiety.

The widow in 2 Kings 4 seemed to see her difficulties in the light of God—not God in the shadow of her difficulties. Though her husband had been a member of a “group of prophets”, she faced the prospect of her two sons being forced into slavery to work off the family debt (v.1; see also Leviticus 25:39-41).

In the midst of this crisis, the widow turned to the right source for help. She turned to Elisha, who represented God (2 Kings 4:1). Next, she acknowledged the limitations of her own resources to bring resolution to her crisis (v.2). Thirdly, she leaned on others for assistance (v.3). She didn’t let pride prevent her from reaching out to others who could help. Finally, she followed Elisha’s specific instructions and God provided miraculously for the needs of her family (vv.4-6). The miracle supplied her with a marketable commodity to use in paying off her debt, left enough to support her family and enabled them to remain together. Her response to the crisis proved that she saw her difficulties in the light of God.

Experiencing family and personal crises can be frightening, exhausting and even debilitating. But we can rest assured that God is near, sees what’s happening and is concerned about us. Our response is not to cower under anxiety and fear, but to see all of our difficulties in the light of God’s power, faithfulness and love. —Marvin Williams

365-day plan› 1 Kings 6:1-38

MORE
Read the remaining verses of 2 Kings 4 (vv.8-44) and note the consistent themes of the chapter. 
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How have you responded in the past when faced with a family or personal crisis? What step of faith can you take today to show that you see your difficulties in the light of God? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Mistaken Identity

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April 14, 2014 

READ: Matthew 16:13-20 

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” —Matthew 16:15 

My youngest brother, Scott, was born when I was a senior in high school. This age difference made for an interesting situation when he grew to college age. On his first trip to his college campus, I went along with him and our mom. When we arrived, people thought we were Scott Crowder and his dad and his grandmom. Eventually, we gave up correcting them. No matter what we said or did, our actual relationships were overridden by this humorous case of mistaken identity.

Jesus questioned the Pharisees about His identity: “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” They replied, “The Son of David” (Matt. 22:42). The identity of Messiah was critical, and their answer was correct but incomplete. The Scriptures had affirmed that Messiah would come and reign on the throne of His father David. But Jesus reminded them that though David would be Christ’s ancestor, He would also be more—David referred to Him as “Lord.”

Faced with a similar question, Peter rightly answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). Still today, the question of Jesus’ identity rises above the rest in significance—and it is eternally important that we make no mistake in understanding who He is.

— Bill Crowder

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend. —Grant

No mistake is more dangerous than mistaking the identity of Jesus. 

ODJ: according to plan

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April 14, 2014 

READ: John 12:12-16 

The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes. But the LORD’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken (Psalm 33:10-11).

It was the week of the Passover celebration. Hundreds of thousands of Jewish pilgrims came to the temple to commemorate their deliverance from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12:1-28). On the Sunday preceding the Passover, Jesus had allowed the people to honour Him as king as He entered Jerusalem—something He hadn’t allowed them to do earlier (John 12:12-16).

Over the past 3 years Jesus had deliberately kept a low profile (John 6:15, 7:10, 11:54). But now, just 5 days before His death, Jesus intentionally drew attention to Himself. This was the only time He had permitted a public demonstration on His behalf and He did so for two reasons:

• John says that Jesus did so to fulfil a 500 year old prophecy that God’s chosen King would enter Jerusalem “riding on a donkey’s colt” (Zechariah 9:9). This was a truly unusual way for a triumphant king to enter a city. Jesus wasn’t riding a war horse. He came in peace and for peace, demonstrating meekness and lowliness and establishing peace between God and us (v.10; Acts 10:36; Colossians 1:20-21).

• Jesus also did so to force the Jewish authorities to take action. The religious leaders had already decided that Jesus needed to die (John 11:47-53). Fearing that the people might riot, they decided “to capture Jesus secretly and kill him,” but only after the Passover celebration (Matthew 26:3-5). God, however, had already ordained that His Son be slain on the day of Passover (v.2).

Overturning man’s scheming and orchestrating the events according to His own decree and timetable (Luke 22:22), God made sure that Jesus died at the same time the evening sacrifice was offered (Exodus 29:38-45; Mark 15:34-42).

—K.T. Sim

1 Kings 3:16-28 ‹365-day plan

MORE
Read Psalm 2:1-12 to see God’s sovereignty over all mankind. 
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How have you seen evidence of God’s timing in your life? How has His sovereignty been demonstrated? 

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ODB: Determination

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April 13, 2014 

READ: Ruth 1:6,11-18; 

Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. —Ruth 1:16 

During a television news report on the plight of refugees displaced from a war-torn country, I was struck by the words of a 10-year-old girl. Despite there being little possibility of returning to their home, she showed a resilient spirit: “When we go back, I’m going to visit my neighbors; I’m going to play with my friends,” she said with quiet determination. “My father says we don’t have a house. And I said we are going to fix it.”

There is a place for tenacity in life, especially when it is rooted in our faith in God and love for others. The book of Ruth begins with three women bound together by tragedy. After Naomi’s husband and two sons died, she decided to return to her home in Bethlehem and urged her widowed daughters-in-law to stay in their country of Moab. Orpah remained but Ruth vowed to go with Naomi, saying, “Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God” (Ruth 1:16). When Naomi saw that Ruth “was determined to go with her” (v.18), they began their journey together.

Stubbornness is sometimes rooted in pride, but commitment grows from love. When Jesus went to the cross, “He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). From His determination to die for us, we find the resolve to live for Him.

— David C. McCasland

My life, my love, I give to Thee,
Thou Lamb of God who died for me;
Oh, may I ever faithful be,
My Savior and my God! —Hudson

Love calls for commitment.