Entries by YMI

ODJ: laying claim

Dec 13, 2013 in , , /by

December 13, 2013 

READ: John 19:17-27 

He said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home (v.27).

My mother has developed a habit of occasionally asking us what items we would want once she leaves this earthly existence. Responding with lighthearted humour to her musings on death, my sister and I tell her not to hide any money in the house because we plan on selling it fully furnished when she dies. When I realised the other day that she still had a grapevine wreath my dad and I had made more than 20 years ago, however, I half-jokingly told her to write my name on it.

Anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one knows the heightened tensions that arise among family members when it happens. Feeling the grief of losing someone we love, we lay claim to any remembrance in an attempt to prolong the connection. Sadly, our attempts to hold on to the love of someone who has died can cost us our relationships with the living.

Scripture provides little insight into Mary’s inner thoughts as she witnessed the death of her Son Jesus, but we can well imagine what she felt (John 19:25). Memories tumbling one on top of the other, her mind must have raced in trying to reconcile the son she had loved and raised with the Messiah who had come to save humanity (Luke 2:19,34-35,51).

Mary didn’t even receive His garment as a remembrance of time with Him. She watched as the hands that nailed Jesus to the cross now drew lots to see who would get His belongings (John 19:24; Psalm 22:18). But even as she endured her emotional torment, Jesus offered forgiveness to those who were causing Him unspeakable pain (Luke 23:34). She didn’t lay claim to possessions, but only to the future hope that all those in Jesus now share. —Regina Franklin

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Read 1 Thessalonians 4:9-18 and consider how this passage can show us how to interact with others when we’re faced with the death of a loved one. 
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If you’ve ever experienced anger at the way others have handled the death of a loved one, what do you believe was at the root of your frustration? What can believers in Jesus lay claim to as they face death?  

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Costume Or Uniform?

Dec 12, 2013 in , , /by

December 12, 2013 

READ: Romans 13:11-14 

Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. —Romans 13:14 

Eunice McGarrahan gave an inspiring talk on Christian discipleship in which she said, “A costume is something you put on and pretend that you are what you are wearing. A uniform, on the other hand, reminds you that you are, in fact, what you wear.”

Her comment sparked memories of my first day in US Army basic training when we were each given a box and ordered to put all our civilian clothes in it. The box was mailed to our home address. Every day after that, the uniform we put on reminded us that we had entered a period of disciplined training designed to change our attitudes and actions.

“Cast off the works of darkness,” the apostle Paul told the followers of Jesus living in Rome, “and . . . put on the armor of light” (Rom. 13:12). He followed this with the command to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (v.14). The goal of this “casting off” and “putting on” was a new identity and transformed living (v.13).

When we choose to follow Christ as our Lord, He begins the process of making us more like Him each day. It is not a matter of pretending to be what we aren’t but of becoming more and more what we are in Christ.

— David C. McCasland

O to be like Thee, O to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art!
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart. —Chisholm

Salvation is free, but discipleship will cost you your life. —Dietrich Bonhoeffer 

ODJ: if you choose . . .

Dec 12, 2013 in , , /by

December 12, 2013 

READ: Joshua 24:1-16 

If you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve (v.15). 

My oldest son is 10 and I still kiss him on the cheek. Unfortunately, cultural forces have conspired upon my son so that he believes he’s too old for such signs of affection. That’s okay. I’ll keep giving him bear hugs and kissing his cheek and perhaps when he’s much older and has sons of his own, he’ll surprise me with a kiss in return. The worst thing I could do is shame him for his boundaries or attempt to force him to show affection. If affection is not given freely, it isn’t true.

Sometimes we believe God operates differently, that He wants sheer obedience with little care for the authentic textures of our heart and our soul. Nothing could be further from the truth.

As Joshua led Israel into their homeland, he recounted their history and the miraculous ways God had provided for them and protected them. And now they had, in some measure, arrived (Joshua 24:1-13). They had a land and were beginning to build a life. Yet Joshua knew that a solemn choice remained. Would they serve the God who had brought them there, the God who had made and named them or would they return to the false gods they had left behind? (vv.14-15).

Remarkably Joshua didn’t persuade the people or attempt to force them. There was a choice to be made and the people had to make it. One of the more famous passages of Scripture from Joshua’s life is the one quoted here: “As for me and my family, we will serve the LORD” (v.15). Equally provocative, however, is the first line of that verse: “But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve.”

God desires more than mere compliance. He wants us to “serve him wholeheartedly” (v.14). And for this, we must choose. —Winn Collier

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Read Deuteronomy 30:19-20 to see the choice Moses wanted the Israelites to make. 
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What does a “wholehearted” faith mean to you? Where is God offering you a choice? What will you choose to do? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Hope For Skeptics

Dec 11, 2013 in , , /by

December 11, 2013 

READ: Isaiah 55:6-13 

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please. —Isaiah 55:11 

As a workplace chaplain, I’m privileged to be in conversation with many different people. Some are skeptics of the Christian faith. I’ve discovered three major hurdles that keep them from trusting in Christ for salvation.

The first barrier, surprisingly, isn’t an unwillingness to believe that God exists; instead some doubt that they’re important enough for God’s attention. Second, some believe they are unworthy of His forgiveness. People are often their own harshest judges. The third hurdle? They wonder why God is not communicating with them if He is out there.

Let’s work backward through the hurdles to see what God’s Word says. First, God doesn’t play head games. He promises that if we read His Word, He will make sure it accomplishes His purpose (Isa. 55:11). In other words, if we read it we will discover that God is communicating with us. This is precisely why the Bible speaks so often of His grace and mercy toward all (v.7). His willingness to forgive surpasses our own. Once we learn that we can hear God in the Bible and once we see the emphasis on His mercy, it becomes easier to believe we have His attention when we cry out to Him.

God’s story is amazing. It can give hope for all of us.

— Randy Kilgore

There can be times when one’s mind is in doubt,
Times when one asks what the faith is about;
But we can believe Him, we know that He cares—
Our God is real, as the Bible declares. —Fitzhugh

Honest skepticism can be the first step to a strong faith. 

ODJ: anchor of hope

Dec 11, 2013 in , , /by

December 11, 2013 

READ: Hebrews 6:13-20 

This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary (v.19).

When we think of retirement it may be that visiting exotic islands, lying in hammocks and enjoying endless days of leisure come to mind.

Well, that’s not Estella Pyfrom’s idea of retirement. Pyfrom, a retired teacher and daughter of migrant farm workers, spent all of her retirement funds to serve others. She bought a bus, decked it out with computers and desks and now drives throughout the district where she taught, providing a place for underprivileged children to do homework and learn technology. Struggling students flock to what she’s labelled the “Brilliant Bus”—and find hope.

The writer of Hebrews reminded believers that during difficult times they could find hope in Jesus. The writer described this hope as an anchor (Hebrews 6:19). The anchor was an ancient metaphor for stability. Despite the reality of apostasy around them, hope found in Jesus provided stability and security for their souls and kept them from drifting away from their faith. The anchor of hope and security had been carried to the safest point of all by Jesus—the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. As a High Priest forever, Jesus gave the believers hope that could not and would not be shaken loose (v.20). Because this was true, believers in Jesus could hold on tenaciously to Him.

Jesus is the hope that anchors our souls. Our relationship with Him brings us close to the throne of grace, where we can cast all our cares upon an all loving and all powerful God. Let’s draw near and cling to Him through whatever difficult trials we’re facing. His love will provide strength, peace, comfort and—most of all—hope that will hold firm in any storm. —Marvin Williams

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Read Romans 8:28-39 and write down some truths about God that provide anchors for difficult and uncertain times in life. 
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When are you most tempted to drift away from your faith? Why is it vital to remember that you’re anchored in Jesus during those times? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: A Giving Competition

Dec 10, 2013 in , , /by

December 10, 2013 

READ: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! —2 Corinthians 9:15 

A television commercial I enjoy at Christmastime shows two neighbors in a friendly competition with each other to see who can spread the most Christmas cheer. Each keeps an eye on the other as he decorates his house and trees with lights. Then each upgrades his own property to look better than the other’s. They then start competing over who can give the most extravagantly to other neighbors, running around cheerfully sharing gifts.

God’s people aren’t in a competition to see who can give the most, but we are called to be “ready to give, willing to share” (1 Tim. 6:18). The apostle Paul instructed the church at Corinth: “Let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7).

At Christmastime, as we share gifts with others, we remember the generosity of God toward us—He gave us His Son. Ray Stedman said, “Jesus set aside His riches and entered into His creation in a state of poverty in order to enrich us all by His grace.”

No gift-giving could ever compete with the Lord’s extravagance. We thank God for the indescribable gift of Jesus! (v.15).

— Anne Cetas

Sing praise to the Father, Creator and King,
Whose mercy has taught us a new song to sing;
Who made us, and loved us though rebels and lost,
And planned our redemption at infinite cost. —Clarkson

No gift is greater than the gift of Christ Himself. 

ODJ: in the beginning

Dec 10, 2013 in , , /by

December 10, 2013 

READ: Genesis 1:1-31 

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (v.1).

In the film, The Sound of Music, Sister Maria sings: “Let’s start at the very beginning. A very good place to start. When you read, you begin with A-B-C. When you sing, you begin with do-re-mi.” Where do we begin in understanding what life is all about? Genesis, the book of beginnings, provides the answer.

Genesis 1 begins with the presupposition that God exists. It doesn’t argue for the existence of God; it simply begins with God.

In the next 30 verses we see the power of God and the purpose of man. God spoke and the universe—with all its amazing biodiversity—came into existence. But the crowning glory of God’s creation was man. Both male and female were created in God’s image (v.27). They were created to live in God’s provided place, under God’s rule and to enjoy His blessings. The apostle Paul sums it all up in one sentence: “For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory” (Romans 11:36).

Over the next 49 chapters in Genesis, centuries of human history took place. It tells of how sin entered the world and of its catastrophic effects and of God’s plan to restore blessing to the world through His chosen people.

Genesis lays the foundation for Jesus to come and provide the way for us to experience new life in Him. You’ll find the book quoted more than 165 times in the New Testament.

Bible teacher Ray Stedman wrote: “The thread that runs throughout all fifty chapters of Genesis is that there is a secret to living . . . The secret of life is a personal, daily relationship with the living God who was in the beginning, who made the heavens and the earth, who created the human race in His own image and who wants to have fellowship and a living relationship with the people He has so lovingly created.” —Poh Fang Chia

MORE
Read Revelation 21-22 to learn the future of our life on the new earth. 
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Have you found the secret of life? Do you have a living and vibrant relationship with your Creator? What needs to change for you to follow Him better? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: The Good And The Bad

Dec 9, 2013 in , , /by

December 9, 2013 

READ: Jonah 4 

The Lord God prepared a plant [for] shade . . . [and] a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. —Jonah 4:6-7 

The story of the rebellious prophet Jonah shows us how God desires to use both blessings and trials to challenge us and change us for the better. Five times in the book of Jonah it says that the Lord prepared circumstances for him—both good and bad.

In Jonah 1:4 we read that the Lord sent a storm. It says He “sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea.” After the mariners discovered that Jonah was the reason for this storm, they threw him overboard (1:15). Then God “prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah” to save him from drowning (1:17).

Later in the book we read that “the Lord God prepared a plant” to shade Jonah (4:6). Then we see that God prepared a worm to kill the vine as well as a scorching wind and sun to beat down upon him (4:7-9). These circumstances were used to reveal Jonah’s rebellious attitude. Only after that revelation could God directly confront Jonah’s heart problem.

As we face different situations, we should remember that God is sovereign over both the blessings and the troubles that come our way. He desires to use everything to build our character (James 1:1-5). He uses both good and bad to transform us and guide us on our journey.

— Dennis Fisher

The Maker of the universe
Knows every need of man,
And made provision for that need
According to His plan. —Crane

The Lord gives and takes away. Blessed be the Lord. 

ODJ: a dad for Christmas

Dec 9, 2013 in , , /by

December 9, 2013 

READ: John 1:1-5, 9-14 

To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God (v.12).

Most children will ask Santa for an extensive list of toys and treats this Christmas. A study of 2,000 British parents revealed, however, that the majority of children in the UK put a new baby brother or sister at the top of their Christmas list, closely followed by a request for a real life reindeer. The 10th most popular Christmas wish on the list was a “Dad.”

In his written account, John tells us who Jesus really is: Firstly, Jesus is Creator (1:1-5). “In the beginning the Word . . .” (v.1) echoes the opening phrase of the book of Genesis (Genesis 1:1). Jesus is the self-existent, pre-existent, omnipotent, eternal, Creator God. He’s the Logos who spoke everything into existence, giving light and life to His creation (John 1:4-5; Genesis 1:3,20-28).

Secondly, Jesus is God Incarnate (John 1:9-14). Twice John spoke of Jesus’ incarnation. The Creator “came into the very world he created” and “became human and made his home among us” (vv.10,14). Jesus added humanity to His deity, becoming one Person with two natures—perfectly human and yet perfectly divine (Philippians 2:6-8).

Jesus entered our world to “[give] light to everyone” so that we don’t need to live in sin’s darkness (John 1:9, 3:19-21, 12:46). He came to give us new life (1:13, 3:6-7, 8:12), so that we can live as God’s children (1:12; Galatians 4:4-7).

Jesus offers us the gift of sonship. The gift of a perfect “Dad” is at the top of list of the many bountiful blessings He wants us to experience this Christmas. “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

Seek your “Abba, Father” this Christmas! —K.T. Sim

MORE
According to Galatians 4:1-7, why are we able to call God “Abba, Father”? 
NEXT
Why do some people not acknowledge that Jesus is their Creator? What does it mean for you to know that you have a perfect heavenly Father who loves you?  

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)