Entries by YMI

ODJ: the way out

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November 16, 2013 

READ: Ecclesiastes 2 

As I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere (v.11).

Shin was born in a North Korean prison camp, where he lived until he was 23. He never thought to escape, for he didn’t imagine that life was any different on the other side of the electrified fence. Then he met a new prisoner. Park told Shin about the outside world, especially that people enjoyed pork and boiled chicken rather than the rats that Shin ate to survive. One evening Shin and Park dropped the firewood they were collecting and ran towards the fence. Park arrived first, and was immediately electrocuted when he squeezed between the first and second wires. Shin crawled across his lifeless friend and scrambled to freedom. Today Shin lives in South Korea, where he calls attention to the barbaric conditions in the camps.

Shin’s life couldn’t be more different from King Solomon’s, and yet they are very much the same. Solomon enjoyed every pleasure a man could want: laughter, feasts, gardens, parks, palaces and concubines (Ecclesiastes 2:1-8). He made the rules that prisoners like Shin were forced to obey. Yet Solomon too was trapped in a prison of despair. He admitted that he “came to hate life because everything done here under the sun is so troubling. Everything is meaningless—like chasing the wind” (2:17).

Our lives couldn’t be more different than either Shin’s or Solomon’s, yet they are very much the same. For true joy must come from the outside. Jesus must break into our world to tell us what we’re missing—having laid down His life so we can have life. Shin’s remarkable escape is almost too fantastic to believe, except that it has happened before. It happened to me, and Jesus provided the way out. —Mike Wittmer

MORE
Read Ecclesiastes 12 to learn how the meaning of life comes from outside our world.  
NEXT
Where would you be if God hadn’t broken into your world? Express your gratitude today by sharing God’s life giving Word with someone who desperately needs it. 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Our Fearless Champion

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November 15, 2013 

READ: Matthew 8:23-34 

Why are you fearful? —Matthew 8:26 

Falling asleep was a challenging event during my childhood. No sooner had my parents turned out the lights than the crumpled clothes I had thrown on the chair would take on the form of a fiery dragon and the thoughts of something living under my bed put me into a panic that made sleep impossible.

I’ve come to realize that the immobilizing power of fear is not just a childhood experience. Fear keeps us from forgiving, taking a stand at the office, giving our resources to God’s kingdom, or saying no when all our friends are saying yes. Left to ourselves, we are up against a lot of fiery dragons in our lives.

In the story of the disciples in the storm-tossed boat, I’m struck by the fact that the only one who was not afraid was Jesus. He was not afraid of the storm, nor was He afraid of a crazy man in a graveyard or of the legion of demons that possessed him (Matt. 8:23-34).

In the face of fear, we need to hear Jesus ask, “Why are you fearful?” (v.26) and be reminded that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5-6). There is nothing that He can’t overcome and therefore nothing for Him to fear. So, next time you’re haunted by your fears, remember that you can rely on Jesus, our fearless Champion!

— Joe Stowell

Lord, thank You for the reminder that You will
never leave us nor forsake us. When I am afraid, I
know that I can rely on Your presence and power
to calm my heart and overcome my fears.

In times of fear, call out to Jesus, our fearless Champion. 

ODJ: using the keys

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November 15, 2013 

READ: Revelation 1:1-18 

I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave (v.18).

Based on the bulky size of the key ring that holds my car and house keys, losing it shouldn’t be an issue. But it seems that I’m always searching for my keys, and they’re hardest to find when I need them most. One time I lost a set of keys after wrapping up gift baskets we had made for a youth fundraiser. I imagined someone opening her gift, only to wonder how to claim the house and car that came with her basket!

In John 14:12, Jesus tells us, “Anyone who believes in Me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.” This teaching has been a difficult one for me to wrap my mind around—especially reading about the incredible miracles Jesus performed. I’ve come to realise, however, the difference between knowing I’m a citizen of His kingdom and actually living as one.

Intellectually we digest the truths of Scripture and seek to put them into practice. Yet one of the key elements of Jesus’ ministry was His authority—not in the sense of telling people what to do, but in His understanding of who He was and is. Extending far beyond information, His identity—and thus His authority—comes from heaven, not earth (Revelation 1:13-18). So should ours.

His life for ours, the cross was an identity exchange. But Jesus didn’t need to go to the cross to reclaim power He had somehow lost. After all, He had already demanded that the grave relinquish the dead, that bodies be healed, hearts be restored and demons flee.

He died to hand us keys we had lost due to our sin. But, like any set of keys, ownership is only effective as we use them (Isaiah 22:22; Matthew 16:18-19).

—Regina Frankli

MORE
Read Acts 4:1-20 and consider what it means to have a clear understanding of your authority in Jesus. 
NEXT
What does it mean for you to have an identity based on heaven’s view rather than earth’s? What are some areas where you believe Jesus is calling you to walk in a greater sense of His authority?  

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: On Helping Others

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November 14, 2013 

READ: Leviticus 19:9-15 

When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. —Leviticus 19:9 

When snowstorms bury the grazing lands, ranchers must feed their herds by hand. As hay is tossed from wagons and trucks, the strongest animals bull their way to the front. Timid or sickly animals get little or no feed unless the rancher intervenes.

Workers in refugee camps and food pantries report a similar pattern. When they open their stores to those in need, the weak and timid may not make it to the front of the line. Like the ranchers, these human lifelines must take steps to ensure that their services reach the feeble, weary, and sick at the edge of society’s attention.

They are carrying out a principle set forth by God long ago. In Leviticus 19, Moses instructed Israel’s farmers and vintners to leave portions of their crops so the poor and the stranger could have something to eat (vv.9-10).

We too can serve as caretakers to the weak and weary. Whether we’re teachers coaxing quiet students to open up, workers coming alongside a struggling co-worker, prisoners looking out for new arrivals, or parents showing attention to their children, we have ways to honor God by helping others.

As we seek to serve those in need, may the grace of God that reached us in our need move us to reach out to others in theirs.

— Randy Kilgore

Father, open my eyes to those struggling to have
enough food, enough love, enough hope; then open my
heart to find ways to help them receive love, using my
hands in service to them—and through them, to You.

By serving others, we serve God. 

ODJ: no fish story

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November 14, 2013 

READ: Nahum 1:1-8 

The Lord is slow to get angry, but His power is great; and He never lets the guilty go unpunished (v.3).

Why is God so big on judgement? Perhaps a better question is: why is God so patient with us?

Nearly everyone knows the story of Jonah. He was swallowed by a big fish and was then spat out onto dry land. Many people also know that Jonah warned the Assyrian city of Nineveh about the judgement to come. Surprisingly, the people repented. But Jonah wanted them to pay for all the horrid things they had done, and so he got mad at God for relenting.

Jonah had a point! The Ninevites did do nasty things to fellow human beings. Yet God’s greater point was that He cares enough about evil people to want them to stop (Jonah 3:9-4:1).

After Jonah had passed from the scene, the Ninevites lapsed into their old ways. A century later, another prophet arose—one that almost no one talks about (no big fish in this story). His name was Nahum, and he brought word of the judgement that Jonah longed for.

Nahum, speaking of God in epic, earth-rattling tones, said that He would “[take] revenge on all who oppose Him” (Nahum 1:2). “He displays His power in the whirlwind and the storm” (v.3). Oceans will “dry up,” and “the mountains quake, and the hills melt away” (vv.4-5). God had drawn a bull’s-eye on Nineveh.

This looming judgement actually gave comfort to one group of people—Nineveh’s victims. Nahum added, “The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in Him. But He will sweep away His enemies in an overwhelming flood” (vv.7-8).

God is always ready to forgive, but He will never turn a blind eye to evil and injustice. He will bring judgement in His own good time. He couldn’t be a good God and do otherwise. —Tim Gustafson

MORE
Read Hebrews 12:5-11and consider the difference between God’s discipline and God’s judgement. 
NEXT
Which characteristic are you more inclined to believe about God: His judgement or His patience? Why is it vital for us that He possesses both? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: A Piece Of The Puzzle

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November 13, 2013 

READ: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 

God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. —1 Corinthians 12:18 

At her birthday celebration, the honored guest turned the tables by giving everyone at the party a gift. Kriste gave each of us a personal note expressing what we mean to her, along with encouraging words about the person God made us to be. Enclosed with every note was one piece of a jigsaw puzzle as a reminder that each of us is unique and important in God’s plan.

That experience helped me to read 1 Corinthians 12 with new eyes. Paul compared the church—the body of Christ—to a human body. Just as our physical bodies have hands, feet, eyes, and ears, all are part of a unified body. No follower of Christ can claim independence from the body, nor can one part tell another that it is not needed (vv.12-17). “God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased” (v.18).

It’s easy to feel less important than others whose gifts are different and perhaps more visible than ours. The Lord, however, wants us to see ourselves as He does—uniquely created and highly valued by Him.

You are one piece of a picture that is not complete without you. God has gifted you to be an important part of the body of Christ to bring Him honor.

— David C. McCasland

Lord, help me not to compare myself with others
in Your family. May I seek instead to be the person
You’ve made me to be, and help me to use what
You’ve given me to bless others today.

Your life is God’s gift to you; make it your gift to God. 

ODJ: foxy lady

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November 13, 2013 

READ: Psalm 149:1-9 

The Lord delights in His people (v.4).

Not long ago, my wife, Miska, met a friend for coffee. As they sat at an outdoor café, a man in a white hat walked back and forth near them—several times. He would go into the barbershop next door, only to exit a few minutes later and cruise near the ladies, giving them a smile or word. He was working it. On his final sweep, he paused to slide Miska a note on a yellow Post-it addressed to “Foxy Lady”.

Part of me wants to punch the guy in the face. But I’d also like to shake his hand. While I would have liked for him to raise his hat enough to notice Miska’s wedding ring, I appreciate his brazen courage. I, of all men, understand the beauty he encountered. I guess with some people we simply can’t contain our delight. But the poor fellow didn’t stand a chance.

The psalmist tells us that when God looks upon His people, He simply can’t contain His delight. He beams with a wide smile and an eager grin. God’s love flows our way freely and effusively.

Even better news is this: God’s delight evokes our delight. Overwhelmed with God’s pleasure in us, we can’t help but give way to festive celebration. With the rest of God’s people, we “rejoice in [our] Maker,” and we “exult [feel triumphant joy] in [our] King” (Psalm 149:2). We dance and sing words of praise, and we play our instruments with passion. As the psalmist has written, “Praise His name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp” (v.3). In other words, we party! We can’t contain our response to the goodness of it all.

If you want to know delight, ponder (and give yourself to) the delight your God has in you: “For the Lord delights in His people; He crowns the humble with victory” (v.4). —Winn Collier

MORE
Read Zephaniah 3:17 and Psalm 147:11. What do the verses reveal about God’s delight? What fuels His pleasure?  
NEXT
What makes it difficult for you to truly believe that God delights in you? What would happen if you fully embraced His delight?  

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ODB: Embarrassing Moments

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November 12, 2013 

READ: John 8:1-11 

Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” —John 8:11 

The flashing lights of the police car drew my attention to a motorist who had been pulled over for a traffic violation. As the officer, ticket book in hand, walked back to his car, I could clearly see the embarrassed driver sitting helplessly behind the wheel of her car. With her hands, she attempted to block her face from the view of passersby—hoping to hide her identity. Her actions were a reminder to me of how embarrassing it can be when we are exposed by our choices and their consequences.

When a guilty woman was brought before Jesus and her immorality was exposed, the crowd did more than just watch. They called for her condemnation, but Jesus showed mercy. The only One with the right to judge sin responded to her failure with compassion. After dispatching her accusers, “Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more’” (John 8:11). His compassion reminds us of His forgiving grace, and His command to her points to His great desire that we live in the joy of that grace. Both elements show the depth of Christ’s concern for us when we stumble and fall.

Even in our most embarrassing moments of failure, we can cry out to Him and find that His grace is truly amazing.

— Bill Crowder

Amazing grace—how sweet the sound—
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see. —Newton

Jesus alone can supply the grace we need for each trial we face. 

ODJ: compassionate warnings

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November 12, 2013 

READ: 2 Chronicles 36:11-21 

The Lord, the God of their ancestors, repeatedly sent His prophets to warn them, for He had compassion on His people (v.15). 

I said, “I’m here for you when you really want to seek God. Although I’ve tried to help you to follow Jesus, our times together have simply become you recounting your continued sins and lack of spiritual interest.” Then, after praying for him, I set him free from my attempts to disciple him. Sadly he’s never been willing to humble himself, repent of his sins and follow God.

Much like that young man, the last king of the Old Testament also failed to listen to counsel that pointed Him to God and His Word. Zedekiah, king of Judah, had been placed in his position by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Judah, at that time, was a tributary to Babylon after Jerusalem had been invaded and conquered in 597 BC.

Zedekiah was an evil king who failed to humble himself before God (2 Chronicles 36:12). He also “rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, even though he had taken an oath of loyalty in God’s name” (v.13). Along with the king, the priests and the people of Judah also were unfaithful (v.14). But God “repeatedly sent His prophets to warn them, for He had compassion on His people” (v.15, emphasis added).

The prophet Jeremiah urged Zedekiah to follow God’s plans, but the king continued to rebel (Jeremiah 27,34). Finally, God’s promise to send rebellious Judah into captivity came true (7:12-15). Babylon crushed Jerusalem in 586 BC, killing many and carting off others, along with anything of value (2 Chronicles 36:17-20). Zedekiah was forced to watch his sons being slaughtered in front of him. Then his eyes were put out and he was placed in chains and led away to Babylon (2 Kings 25:7).

Is someone compassionately warning you to repent of your sin and follow God? Listen, and turn. —Tom Felten

MORE
Read Jeremiah 5:10-13 and notice how the people responded to God’s prophets and His compassionate warnings. 
NEXT
Why do we sometimes not want to hear God’s compassionate warnings? What do you need to turn from today as you turn to God? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)