Entries by YMI

ODB: The Golden Rule

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March 12, 2014 

READ: Matthew 7:7-12 

Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them. —Matthew 7:12 

The concept of The Golden Rule—treat others as you would like to be treated—appears in many religions. So what makes Jesus’ version of the saying so exceptional?

Its uniqueness lies in a single word, “therefore,” that signals the generosity of our heavenly Father. Here is what Jesus said: “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them” (Matt. 7:11-12 italics added).

All of us fall short of what we know to be true: We do not love others the way God loves us. Jesus lived out that admirable ethic with perfect love by living and dying for all our sins.

We have a loving, giving Father who set aside His own self-interest to reveal the full measure of His love through His Son Jesus. God’s generosity is the dynamic by which we treat others as we would like to be treated. We love and give to others because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).

Our heavenly Father asks us to live up to His commands, but He also gives us His power and love to carry it out. We need only to ask Him for it.

— David H. Roper

Heavenly Father, I know that I lack Your
patience and mercy and love. Please show
Your perfect love through me in some small
way today. In Your Son Jesus’ name I pray.

We have committed The Golden Rule to memory; now let us commit it to life. —E. Markham 

ODJ: follow Jesus

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March 12, 2014 

READ: Mark 1:16-20 

Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him (vv.17-18). 

Grandad was a gentle but firm primary school head teacher in Pretoria, South Africa. In my final year as a student teacher, he shared a few trade secrets with me. His advice on how to get a disruptive pupil out of the classroom and into isolation was most helpful: “Look the child in the eye and say with authority, ‘Follow me’, then turn and walk confidently out of the classroom while not looking back.” I tested his advice when dealing with an unruly adolescent and, though I doubted it would work, I soon heard him reluctantly following me.

Jesus wasn’t summoning disruptive or unruly students when He called the fishermen Simon and Andrew, but He did say, “Come, follow me” (Mark 1:17). They left their nets immediately and walked behind Jesus, becoming His disciples (v.18). Later, when Jesus called the brothers James and John, they also followed, leaving their father Zebedee and his workers (vv.19-20).

One young man would not follow Jesus, the rich young ruler. He had obeyed the law, but something eluded him—eternal life (10:17). When Jesus told him to sell everything, give the money to the poor and follow Him, the man could not do it. His love of earthly riches held him enslaved to this world (vv.21-22).

Just as the unruly student recognised the authority of the teacher and the fishermen responded to the authority of Jesus, so should we respond to the authority of the Saviour as He calls us to follow Him. He doesn’t guarantee a trouble-free life (John 16:33), but He does promise a rich and satisfying one (10:10).

In surrendering everything we hold dear on this earth, we gain the one thing the rich young ruler needed most—the true riches of eternal life. —Ruth O’Reilly-Smith

365-day plan› Judges 15:1-20

MORE
Read Mark 2:13-17 and note what happens when Jesus calls Levi the tax collector to follow Him. 
NEXT
What’s holding you back from truly following Jesus? What happens when we surrender all that we are and what we possess to Him? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: The Silent Pen

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March 11, 2014 

READ: James 3:1-12 

The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. —James 3:18 

Former US President Harry Truman had a rule: Any letters written in anger had to sit on his desk for 24 hours before they could be mailed. If at the end of that “cooling off” period, he still felt the same sentiments, he would send the letter. By the end of his life, Truman’s unmailed letters filled a large desk drawer.

How often in this age of immediate communication would even 24 minutes of wise restraint spare us embarrassment! In his epistle, James addressed a universal theme in human history when he wrote about the damage an uncontrolled tongue can bring. “No man can tame the tongue,” he wrote. “It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” (3:8).

When we’re gossiping or speaking in anger, we find ourselves outside the lines of what God desires. Our tongues, our pens, and even our keyboards should more often fall silent with thanks in our hearts for the restraint God provides. All too often, when we speak we remind everyone of our brokenness as human beings.

When we want to surprise others with the difference Christ makes, we may need to look no further than restraining our tongue. Others can’t help but notice when we honor God with what we say—or don’t say.

— Randy Kilgore

Help me, Lord, to use my words not to
tear down others or build up my own reputation,
but to seek the good of others first, and in so doing
to serve You and Your kingdom.

Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles. —Proverbs 21:23 

ODJ: rainbows and remembering

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March 11, 2014 

READ: Genesis 9:1-17 

When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth (v.16).

The sight of a rainbow can trigger many thoughts. Spotting one might conjure up fairy tales of leprechauns and pots teeming with gold.

In real life, however, rainbows do point to important things. For instance, mariners have long known that rainbows can be used to predict the weather. Generally speaking, weather moves from west to east, thus the old saying, “Rainbow in the morning, sailors take warning; rainbow at night, a sailor’s delight.”

Though a rainbow is typically as trustworthy as a local meteorologist’s forecast, predicting weather was not its original purpose. The rainbow was (and still is) a sign of God’s promise that He would never again use floodwaters to destroy all life on the earth (Genesis 9:12-17). And even though violent storms and heavy rains—even severe localised flooding—still occur, nothing like Noah experienced will take place now or in the future.

God said that when He would see a rainbow, He would remember His promise: “When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life” (Genesis 9:14-15).

Really? Could God actually forget His promise? No way! Our Creator is all-knowing. But, by way of example, He might have been teaching Noah (and the rest of His image-bearers) about the importance of remembering.

The Bible is filled with stories that teach us certain things our Creator doesn’t want us ever to forget. So the next time you spot a rainbow, think of Noah and then ask God if there’s something else He wants you to remember about Him and what He’s done. —Jeff Olson
Judges 14:1-20 ‹365-day plan

MORE
Read Matthew 16:1-3 and see how Jesus used the weather to make a point. 
NEXT
What are some ‘rainbows’ in your life that God might use to spark your memory? Why is it so vital that we remember what He has done in the past? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Make It Personal

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March 10, 2014 

READ: 2 Chronicles 24:1-2,15-22 

Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. —Galatians 5:16 

During my days as a teacher and coach at a Christian high school, I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with teenagers, trying to guide them to a purposeful, Christlike life—characterized by love for God and love for others. My goal was to prepare them to live for God throughout life. That would happen only as they made their faith a vital part of life through the help of the Holy Spirit. Those who didn’t follow Christ floundered after they left the influence of Christian teachers and parents.

This is demonstrated in the story of King Joash of Judah and his uncle Jehoiada. Jehoiada, a wise counselor, influenced Joash to live a God-honoring life (2 Chron. 24:11,14).

The problem was that Joash did not embrace an honorable life as his own. After Jehoiada died, King Joash “left the house of the LORD” (v.18) and began to worship in a pagan way. He turned and became so evil that he had Jehoiada’s son murdered (vv.20–22).

Having someone in our lives to guide us toward faith and Christlikeness can be good and helpful. Even better is getting to know the Lord ourselves and learning to rely on the Holy Spirit to be our guide (Gal. 5:16). That is making our faith personal.

— Dave Branon

Lord, thank You for the people in my life who
influence me toward following You. Help
me not to depend on them primarily—but to
depend on Your Holy Spirit to guide me.

The faith of others encourages; a faith of our own transforms. 

ODJ: clear conscience

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March 10, 2014 

READ: 1 Timothy 1:12-20 

Cling to your faith in Christ and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked (v.19).

During a 1923 manoeuvring exercise, Lieutenant Commander Donald T. Hunter, an experienced navigator and instructor at the American Naval Academy, navigated the USS Delphy. The Delphy was the flagship among several naval destroyers. During the exercise, a thick cloak of fog descended on the ships. After several communication attempts, Hunter could not get an accurate read on his location.

Contrary to his calculations, the Delphy was headed for trouble. Known for his confidence, scepticism of new navigational gadgets and “magic infallibility” in guiding his ships, Hunter ignored the RDF (radio-direction finding) bearings and kept going. Travelling at 20 knots, the USS Delphy rammed into the rocky Point Arguello shoreline. The shipwreck resulted in 23 men losing their lives and the loss of several ships.

For the apostle Paul, something more lasting and important than perishable ships was at stake—faith in Jesus. Paul encouraged Timothy to continue to fight the good fight and maintain a clear conscience (1 Timothy 1:18-19). To hold tightly to the Christian faith and to live by it would result in a clear and good conscience. Having a conscience programmed with the will of God would help Timothy be a good Christian soldier. If he or others deliberately violated their conscience, however, and ignored ‘DDF’ (divine-direction finding), as some had already done, they would be spiritually and morally shipwrecked (v.20).

Though our conscience is not an infallible guide, we can have it trained by the Word of God and cleansed by the death of Jesus (2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 9:14). We can then navigate away from the crags of immorality and heresy to the safe shores of faith. —Marvin Williams
365-day plan› Judges 13:1-25

MORE
See Acts 23:1 and 24:16 to read what Paul said about his own conscience. 
NEXT
Why do we tend to violate our conscience? What are some ways you can learn to keep it clear before God and people? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Dressed To Deceive

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March 9, 2014 

READ: 2 Peter 2:1-3,12-19 

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. —Matthew 7:15 

Hiking in the mountains of Utah, Coty Creighton spotted a goat that didn’t look like the rest of the herd. A closer look revealed that the unusual animal was actually a man dressed as a goat. When authorities contacted the man, he described his costume as a painter’s suit covered in fleece, and he said he was testing his disguise for a hunting trip.

The hunter’s deception reminds me of Jesus’ words: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves” (Matt. 7:15). False teachers do not bear the fruit of God’s Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). Rather, they “walk according to the flesh . . . and despise authority” (2 Peter 2:10). They are bold, egotistical, and given to greed (vv.10,14). Ruled by their own desires, they exploit people by using “deceptive words” (v.3). The Bible says these wayward spiritual leaders are headed for destruction and will take many unsuspecting and undiscerning people with them (vv.1-2).

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, rather than pursuing personal gain, laid down His life for His sheep. God does not want anyone to be misled by false teaching. He wants us to be aware of those who deceive, and follow Him instead—the true Shepherd of our souls.

— Jennifer Benson Schuldt

At the name of Jesus
Every knee shall bow,
Every tongue confess Him,
King of glory now. —Noel

Substitutes abound, but there is only one Christ. 

ODJ: echo effect

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March 9, 2014 

READ: 2 Kings 19:9-19 

O LORD, God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! (v.15).

If you stand near the edge of the Grand Canyon in

America and bellow out a word or two, chances are, you’ll hear an echo. The noise you make will bounce off the canyon walls and back to your ears—maybe more than once. Experts say this is possible because the best echoes occur in quiet environments where sound travels at least 75 metres and hits multiple flat surfaces. Spanning between 4-18 miles across, abounding with walls and typically quiet, the Grand Canyon is an ideal place to experiment with noise.

Like a canyon repeating a sound, our prayer life can echo Scripture back to God, who originated it (2 Timothy 3:16). Prayers that include biblical truth and even phrases straight from God’s Word can propel our thoughts and feelings in the right direction.

King Hezekiah’s words echoed ideas from Scripture as he prayed for God to save him and His people from enemy attackers. With a nod to Exodus 25:22 and Genesis 1:1, Hezekiah glorified God by saying, “You are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! . . . You alone created the heavens and the earth” (2 Kings 19:15).

Hezekiah also prayed, “Rescue us . . . then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone, O LORD, are God” (v.19). The idea was that God’s good reputation would spread throughout the world as a result of a rescue. This same thought appeared previously when Joshua described how God saved the Israelites from the Egyptians at the Red Sea (Joshua 4:23-24).

Embedding Scripture in our prayers can help us have the right perspective on each situation we face. Combining our own words with God’s Word helps us to see how He may work and inspire us to see Him as He is—great, powerful and able to rescue. Consider trying out the echo effect as you pray today.

—Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Judges 7:1-25 ‹365-day plan

MORE
Look up Romans 8:26-27 to see how the Holy Spirit should be involved in our prayers. 
NEXT
How might praying God’s Word help with different types of prayer—praise, intercessory or confession? Why does Matthew 6:7 warn against repeating the same words as we pray? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Transforming Power

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March 8, 2014 

READ: Deuteronomy 6:4-9 

These words which I command you today shall be in your heart. —Deuteronomy 6:6 

Many people love to play games that test their knowledge. Recently, a colleague and I were testing a Bible-knowledge game. Since we were seated in an open area of our office, those nearby could hear our conversation. Soon questions ranging from Noah’s ark to the woman at the well were being answered by those within earshot of us. It was a delight to hear various staff members volunteering responses to Bible questions.

A knowledge of the Bible is important, but God desires us to be saturated with His Word and to internalize it so we can grow in our relationship with Him. The Holy Spirit uses the Word to make us more like Christ (Eph. 4:20-24). Consider these benefits of internalizing the Bible: joy and rejoicing (Jer. 15:16); spiritual success (Josh. 1:8); a tool in spiritual warfare (Matt. 4:1-11); correction (2 Tim. 3:15-16); light for our path (Ps. 119:105); wisdom with problem solving (Prov. 1:1-2); and stimulating faith (Rom. 10:17).

Learning about the Bible just to increase our knowledge can lead to spiritual pride (1 Cor. 8:1). But allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us by the Word helps us navigate through life’s twists and turns and respond in love to God and to each other.

— Dennis Fisher

My hunger for the truth He satisfies;
Upon the Word, the Living Bread, I feed:
No parching thirst I know, because His grace,
A pool of endless depth, supplies my need. —Sanders

Many books can inform, but only the Bible can transform.