Entries by YMI

ODJ: how we know

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August 1, 2013 

READ: Colossians 2:1-4 

I want [you] to have complete confidence (v.2).

My sons are picking up on the way TV advertisers play games with viewers, twisting statistics and making outrageous claims. I fear it won’t be long before my boys become jaded and are slow to trust. Many of us struggle with this in our faith:How can I believe anything at all? How can I trust what God says?
The apostle Paul spoke directly to this concern, telling the Colossians that he hoped they would have “complete confidence” in “God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ Himself” (Colossians 2:2). Paul cared little about the Colossians buying into a religious system or a codified, abstract set of theological or moral principles. Rather, Paul desired that they would find their settled hope in one person: Jesus Christ. It was in Him alone that they would discover “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (v.3).

Too often, in our well-intentioned efforts to give people ‘the truth’, we provide them with arguments, histories or fine logic. All this may have its place, but the invitation of the gospel is always first to come to a person—to Jesus.

We understand Jesus, as we do any person, through relationship and friendship. This must be why Paul makes this distinct connection: “My goal is that [you] may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that [you] may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that [you] may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ” (vv.2-3 NIV).

In other words, encountering a ‘Jesus community’ where your heart is encouraged and you experience the uniting friendship of deep love is the environment where you discover confidence in Jesus’ message. We need to experience the effect of Jesus’ truth through relationship with one another. —Winn Collier

› Luke 10:25-42

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Missionary Lesslie Newbigin writes, “The gospel does not become public truth for a society by being propagated as a theory or as a worldview. . . . It can become public truth only insofar as it is embodied in a society (the church).” How is this live 
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How have you struggled with having confidence in God? How might your Christian community help you? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Your Flight Is Confirmed

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July 31, 2013 

READ: Romans 3:21-26 

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. —1 Corinthians 15:22 

A heavy thunderstorm delayed our flight to Frankfurt, causing us to miss our connecting flight. We were told that we had been confirmed on another flight the next evening. But when we arrived at the gate, we were told that we were on standby. The flight was full.

When I learned this, I wondered if this was mere miscommunication or if this was how they dealt with missed flights. If passengers had been told up front that they were only on standby, they would have been unhappy. Perhaps they saved the truth until later.

Thankfully, God doesn’t work that way. He clearly tells us everything we need to know to get to heaven. The Bible declares that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). God gave us the full picture of our sin nature from Genesis 3 so that He could give us His full and complete solution.

God’s solution in Romans 3:24 is that we are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” God sent His own sinless Son to die for our sins. His sacrifice on the cross provided us forgiveness. All we need to do is receive that free gift through faith. I’m so glad God told us the truth up front! He hasn’t left us to find our own way.

— C. P. Hia

Thank You, Almighty God, that You don’t hide the
truth from us. You showed us how completely sin
has affected our lives in order to reinforce just
how much Jesus Christ has delivered us from.

Christ’s work makes us safe; God’s Word makes us sure. 

ODJ: triggers

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July 31, 2013 

READ: Matthew 26:59-75 

Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed (v.74).

I didn’t think it would be that difficult. But as the technician placed the X-ray shield over my knee, handed me the headphones and left the room, a sense of uncertainty surrounded me like the MRI machine I was lying in. Even though my head and shoulders remained outside the tunnel, I felt trapped. My mind raced as I discovered flight responses never before encountered. Watching the countdown clock on the upper part of the machine, I wondered if my heart and mind would quiet down or if the next few minutes would include me jumping out of the machine in a mad fit of panic.

From our perspective in history we criticise Peter for his decision to run during Jesus’ greatest hour of need. After all, we reason, Peter had seen the miracles, he had heard Jesus’ need (Matthew 26:41), and he had promised to go with Him all the way—even to the point of death (v.35). How could he turn and act so cowardly?

But, if we’re honest, there have been times in our lives when we’ve run when we should remain steadfast in Jesus. Far from existing as automatons, we have built-in triggers that can cause us to take flight from perceived dangerous situations. Fear is one of those powerful triggers.

Jesus invited Peter into one of the deepest mysteries of heaven: His death and resurrection (vv.27-29). Entering into a kingdom perspective, however, requires our own encounter with death. Just as Peter learned, our flight or fight instinct—the desire to save ourselves—must be surrendered at the cross (v.39). Freedom comes when, face to face with our own inadequacies, we love Jesus more than we fear pain (John 15:13; 1 John 4:18).—Regina Franklin

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Read Acts 4:1-31 to see Peter living out faith in Jesus and victory over fear through the power of God.  
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How is fear preventing you from living out what God has called you to do? What are some practical ways to fully surrender to Him andHis plans? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: A Person Of Influence

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July 30, 2013 

READ: 2 Kings 5:1-15 

She said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.” —2 Kings 5:3 

If you Google “person of influence,” the search will take you to various lists of “the most influential people in the world.” These lists usually include political leaders; business entrepreneurs and athletes; along with people in science, the arts, and entertainment. You will not find the names of cooks and cleaners who work for them. Yet those in so-called lowly positions often influence the people they serve.

The story of Naaman, a high-ranking military commander, includes two kings and a prophet of God (2 Kings 5:1-15). Yet it was the servants in the background whose words led to Naaman being cured of leprosy, a career-ending, life-changing disease. A young servant girl taken captive from Israel told Naaman’s wife that a prophet in Samaria could heal him (vv.2-3). When Elisha’s instructions to bathe in the Jordan River angered Naaman, his servants urged him to follow the prophet’s orders. The result was Naaman’s restoration to health and his declaration, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel” (v.15).

What a beautiful picture of our role as followers of Jesus Christ! We are called to be people of influence—the Lord’s servants who point others to the One whose touch can change their lives.

— David C. McCasland

Lord, I would like to live a life of influence like
Naaman’s servant girl—to be brave and bold
to touch the lives of others by pointing them
to You. Fill me, Holy Spirit, with Your power.

Christ sends us out to bring others in. 

ODJ: tested and proven

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July 30, 2013 

READ: Deuteronomy 8:1-5 

Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the Lord tests the heart (Proverbs 17:3).

We live in an age of testing. The food we eat, the medicine we take and the toys our children play with have all been rigorously tested before being sold to us. This helps us to be assured of their safety, quality, functionality, usability and reliability.

Because of their unbelief and disobedience, God forced the Israelites to spend 40 years wandering in the desert (Numbers 14:29-35). He didn’t abandon them but protected and provided for them during their lengthy journey (Exodus 13:21-22, 16:35; Deuteronomy 8:4, 15-16, 32:10). God put them into an intensive 4 decade ‘training programme’, purposefully leading them into difficult circumstances for three reasons:

• to prove their character, seeing if they truly loved Him with all their heart and soul (8:2, 13:3).

• to test their faithfulness and obedience to God (8:2).

• to teach them the necessity, centrality and sufficiency of God’s Word in their lives (v.3).

The troubles and difficulties you’re going through are part of God’s training programme “for your own good” (vv.5,16). These trials are like final exams in God’s school of discipleship—designed to prove the quality of your faith (Proverbs 17:3; 1 Peter 1:7) and to help you mature in it (Job 23:10; Isaiah 48:10; Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2-4;1 Peter 4:12-13).

It’s normal for us to insist that the things we use must be vigorously tested before they’re sold to us. But sometimes we resist and don’t have a similar acceptance or gratitude for the spiritual tests that come our way. We can even become bitter or angry at God when He allows them to enter our lives. Instead, may we realise that an untested life can’t be trusted.—K.T. Sim
› John 8:21-59

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According to Romans 5:3-5, James 1:2-4 and 1 Peter 4:12-13, what’s the value and benefit of being tested?  
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What test are you going through at this moment? How does knowing that God is the One who is testing you enable and help you to complete and pass the test? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: What’s Love?

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July 29, 2013 

READ: Psalm 103:1-14 

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son. —1 John 4:10 

When asked “What’s love?” children have some great answers. Noelle, age 7, said, “Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day.” Rebecca, who is 8, answered, “Since my grandmother got arthritis, she can’t bend over and polish her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even after his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.” Jessica, also 8, concluded, “You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.”

Sometimes we need reminding that God loves us. We focus on the difficulties of life and wonder, Where’s the love? But if we pause and consider all that God has done for us, we remember how much we are loved by God, who is love (1 John 4:8-10).

Psalm 103 lists the “benefits” God showers on us in love: He forgives our sin (v.3), satisfies us with good things (v.5), and executes righteousness and justice (v.6). He is slow to anger and abounds in mercy (v.8). He doesn’t deal with us as our sins deserve (v.10) and has removed our sin as far as the east is from the west (v.12). He has not forgotten us!

What’s love? God is love, and He’s pouring out that love on you and me.

— Anne Cetas

Our God is God—
His truth, His love remains each day the same,
He’s faithful to His matchless name,
For God is God—He does not change. —D. DeHaan

The death of Christ is the measure of God’s love for you. 

ODJ: watch out!

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July 29, 2013 

READ: Obadiah 1:1-9 

You have beendeceived by your own pride (v.3).

C. S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, “There is one vice of which no man in the world is free; whichevery one in the world loathes when he sees itin someone else; . . . There is no fault which makes a man more unpopular, and no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it in ourselves the more we dislike it in others.” Can you guess what it is?

Pride.

Obadiah wrote that God was angry with Edom due to her pride (1:2-3). And, in fact, the people of Edom were proud of many things:

• Their security (v.3). Because of the city’s configuration, it was almost impregnable.  

• Their wealth (vv.5-6). The major trade routes of the Middle East went through Edom. Consequently Edom could tax all the commerce that came via these routes.  

• Their alliances (v.7). Due to its strategic location, all the surrounding nations wanted to establish a good relationship with the Edomites.  

• Their wisdom (vv.8-9). Because they were on the trade route, they encountered educated men from many different lands.

So Edom was strong, rich, smart and had good connections. Are we filled with pride for the same reasons? The simplest manifestation of pride is self-sufficiency. We feel that we can do it on our own, and we begin to measure everything and everyone by our own standards. 

Be warned. For “God opposes the proud but favours the humble” (James 4:6). Or as one writer stated, “Men who trust in anything short of God are like the man who in a thunderstorm takes shelter under a tree, whose tall branches attract the lightning, which scorches him to ashes.”—Poh Fang Chia

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Read Proverbs 16:5 for God’s attitude towards pride, and check out2 Chronicles 26:16-21 for a clear example of how God deals with it.  
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What issues with pride are you encountering in your life? How can you keep your pridein check? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: The Wisdom Of Crowds

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July 28, 2013 

READ: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 

Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety. —Proverbs 11:14 

The online description of The Wisdom of Crowds reads, “In this fascinating book, New Yorker business columnist James Surowiecki explores a deceptively simple idea: Large groups of people are smarter than an elite few, no matter how brilliant—better at solving problems, fostering innovation, coming to wise decisions, even predicting the future.”

The author uses a variety of things, ranging from pop culture to politics, to present one basic thought: More often than not, the crowd gets it right. It’s an interesting theory, but one that would probably be debated during election years or when someone’s favorite contestant is voted off a reality TV show.

While the Bible makes it clear that the wisdom of crowds may not be reliable and can be dangerous (Matt. 7:13-14), there is another way collective wisdom can be helpful. In Proverbs 11:14, we read, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” One of the benefits of the body of Christ is that we can assist one another—in part by working together to seek God’s wisdom. When we join together to pursue God’s purposes, we find safety in His provision of each other and receive His wisdom for the challenges of life.

— Bill Crowder

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise. —Smith

We best pursue the wisdom of God when we pursue it together. 

ODJ: location matters

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July 28, 2013 

READ: Luke 5:1-11, 27-32 

I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent (v.32).

During a recent fishing trip, my brother in law andI were reminded that you have to fish in the right location. We claimed a spot near a wooden fishing pier. Unfortunately, it was not a good choice. The bait fish, which attracted the schools of the desired Spanish mackerel, were on the other side of the pier. Anglers less than 50 yards away were easily catching their limit while we struggled to get even a nibble.

Jesus showed that location matters too when it comes to “fishing for people” (Luke 5:10). Shortly after recruiting some of His first disciples, He and the men attended a banquet in the home of a Jewish tax collector name Levi. At this banquet were many of “Levi’s fellow tax collectors” (vv.27-29).

The questionable crowd didn’t sit well with the Jewish religious leaders. They “complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, ‘Why do you eat and drink with such scum?’ ” (v.30). They couldn’t grasp why Jesus would have anything to do with those who got rich collaborating with the Roman government while their fellow countrymen struggled to make ends meet.

But Jesus understood that location matters. He showed His disciples that in order to ‘fish’ for people, you have to go where the “sinners” are (v.32). This is dangerous ‘fishing’. It presents the danger of being compromised by the world. So it requires a strong relationship with Jesus and deep commitment to follow Him in obedience. It also requires regular involvement with other like-minded believers. But if we’re going to share the gospel of Jesus with the world, we must be in the world—location matters!—Jeff Olson

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Read Matthew 28:19-20 and see where God tells us to ‘fish’ and what we can expect of Him in those locations.  
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Where is God calling you to be in the world but not of it? How can you maintain a strong and growing faith even as you’re exposed to sinful living? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)